Kimi no Koe
by Yue Guang Kuroneko
Summary: Life is random. Even the finest manipulators cannot control the direction that life has set up for them. However, the greatest manipulators can turn any twist and turn into their advantage. So what happens when they fall in love? [KyouyaxHaruhi]
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** _Kimi no Koe_  
**Written by:** Yue Guang Kuroneko  
**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG-13 due to some mild language.  
**Written for:** Relieving boredom and internet-withdrawal (My internet was down for an entire day TT)  
**Dedicated to:** Kirimy-san, Miyu-chan, IceQueen-san, Empress-dono, and Nya-san because they're wonderful people ' and I've dedicated way too much fanfic to Hojo-dono and FRoP Fansubs. xP  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage because staying in-character is hard to write when you have Haruhi being romantically involved with anyone. Also, please do not be offended by any references of religion I may have stuck in there! I am not against religion...this is just a fanfic! (And this was_ intended_ as a oneshot but internet-withdrawal is scary >.>)  
**Summary:** Life is random and unplanned. Even the finest manipulators cannot control the direction that life has set up for them. However, the greatest manipulators can turn any twist and turn into their advantage. So what happens when they fall in love?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...I would own Ouran if I were any of these people...but my parents dropped me on the head when I was a kid, so I'm not as brilliant as they are :D

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter One**:

Ootori Kyouya never believed in miracles, luck, dreams, fate, destiny, heaven, or anything along those lines. He thought that they were pointless and the only way to succeed in life is to be hard-working, cunning, and determined. As for the afterlife, screw it. There was no room in a businessman's life for religion, not to mention that it was probably a whole bunch of money-stealing bogus anyway.

After graduating Ouran, he continued to work hard at a prestigious, private university and quickly gained an MBA in business. He was brilliant and that certainly gave him the edge of becoming the next leader of the Ootori group but he wasn't going to take his chances. He signed up for studying aboard in both America and Europe and left Japan for a year or two to polish his foreign social skills (and to create any business associates that he may happen to run into) and managed to enjoy himself as he made those he ran into play into the palm of his powerful hand.

He had even managed to get a 'girlfriend' (if one could call her that) during his last short year but that ended splendidly as he _regretfully_ announced that he was leaving the Western world to return to Japan where he solely belonged. Of course, there were protests, screaming, and even attempted biting on the girl's part, but he only gave her that smirk she said she fell in love with and boarded his private jet without looking back. The girl was a nuisance anyway and the only reason he had invited her out to dinner the first night was to create a nice atmosphere with the daughter of a very powerful European company. It was simply a dinner, but the girl assumed too much and he was constantly badgered by her attention-seeking, otherwise unattractive, personality. Other than her, his plans to befriending her father was a success, just as he had planned.

Upon his return to Japan, he found that his father had not yet decided who would take over the Ootori Company and gave a short growl of frustration as he returned to winning his father's favor. Unfortunately, his brothers feared their birth order was no longer in their favor and had started to work their own asses off during his leave. It was an unannounced competition that only riled their resolve farther and the Ootori group thrived under the three sons' willpower.

It was five years after she graduated Ouran when he decided to give their favorite commoner a visit. He researched her whereabouts and found her studying diligently at Tokyo University, majoring in law. It was an unexpected urge to suddenly see Fujioka Haruhi, but he paid it no mind. Who wouldn't want to see how the cross-dressing girl turned out after leaving Ouran? He had no doubt that Tamaki and the twins have visited her a few times and decided that it was probably his turn (not to mention he'd love to see the surprised look on Haruhi's face when he shows up at her doorstep.)

He found that she was living on her own in a rather small flat near Tokyo University and wasn't at all surprised when he found that she had not had a romantic interest since he graduated. He also wasn't surprised that Tamaki had already proposed to her and she refused, stating that a glamorous life was not what she wanted.

She really hasn't changed at all.

"Tokyo University," He told his driver.

"Hai, Ootori-sama," His driver replied before igniting the engine and they started on their drive to the high-status Tokyo U.

They arrived shortly and Kyouya quickly gave the driver some instructions before turning and looked at the school with a smirk. Haruhi was somewhere in those whitewashed walls and he was going to find her.

--

"Fujioka-san!"

Haruhi gave a mental sigh as her ears heard the familiar thrill in that deep voice. Kentaro Yuusuke was a persistent man—he would ask her out on a date whenever he saw her. Quite frankly, he was relatively annoying and very much like that blond-headed idiot she knew in high school.

"What is it, Kentaro-kun?" She asked, turning to meet his excited brown gaze.

"Want to go on a date with me this Friday?" He asked her, placing a heavy arm on her shoulders. "I know this great place…"

"How many times have I answered you, Kentaro-kun?" She shrugged off his arm. "I am not interested in you. Your continuous advancements are irritating."

"Aww, don't say that, Fujioka!" Kentaro whined. "I'm very much interested in you."

"I'm sorry but the answer is still 'no'," Haruhi stated, brushing back her grown bangs. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to my next lecture."

"Come on, Fujioka—I'm getting sick of being rejected by you," Kentaro's voice darkened. She turned to see him reach out to grab her before…

"She said 'no' quite clearly," The tall figure that had suddenly appeared in front of her said in a cool but dangerous tone. "It will do you good to leave the young woman alone."

"Bastard!" Kentaro shouted suddenly and Haruhi's eyes widened to find that he had swung at the young man who had protected her.

What happened next was a blur: Kentaro had swung at the man but the man had dodged it before catching that punch and administering a punch of his own, leaving Kentaro staggering back into the wall before passing out into an ungraceful pile of meat on the floor.

Passing students had stopped to watch the commotion and Haruhi heard many of the girls whispered excitedly about how 'cool' and 'sexy' her protector was. In all of the excitement, Haruhi hadn't even caught sight of her protector's face. When he turned towards her, Haruhi's eyes widened.

"KYOUYA-SENPAI?"

"Are you surprised?" He asked in his indifferent voice as he walked towards her, leaving Kentaro a bloody mess on the floor.

"Yes! I mean, no. I mean…" Haruhi felt rather flustered as he stood in front of her, his glasses glinting at the edges. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Considering I've already graduated with an MBA, I shouldn't be here at all," Kyouya said as if it was her fault that he had somehow appeared at Tokyo University when he should have been making some other commoner's life miserable.

"Then why are you here?" Haruhi asked, cocking a head to the side in question.

"Why don't we talk about that over a cup of coffee?" He asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. That was not a good sign at all.

"Yes, of course," Haruhi said, shaking any assumptions of Ootori Kyouya's alternative motives out of her head. "There's a coffee shop just across from the university. Why don't we go there?"

"Lead the way," He said almost prince-like but Haruhi knew better than to trust how he sounded to her. This was a serious matter if Kyouya had shown up at her university. He was not the type of person who would seek someone out just for a cup of coffee after six years of no communication.

When they ordered and seated themselves at the coffee shop next to the window, Haruhi finally found the time to study him. She knew that his manipulative nature was still there, hidden under layers of artificial smiles and false, flattering words, but the aura that usually surrounded him seemed even more intense than it had once been during her days as a host.

He was still handsome; with those dark, onyx eyes, a refined face, and a tall but nicely built stature, he was unavoidably and ridiculously good-looking. Of course, the glasses that rested on his nose seemed to give him an intelligent and slightly imposing edge, but she knew better. He was kind underneath that indifferent gaze and quite similar to their idiot King's kindness except more discreet.

"Well then," Haruhi started. "What was it you needed to talk to me about?"

"What makes you think I have a reason?" Kyouya asked, his eyes staring out at the busy streets of Tokyo.

"Kyouya-senpai, you aren't the type of person who would just visit somebody out of nowhere unless you retain merits from the meeting," Haruhi said as their drinks arrived, "and especially not when it involves me."

She watched him as he sipped his drink casually, eyes still focused outside. There was a different air about him, as if he was almost tired and that made Haruhi feel slightly guilty for asking him something so accusing and ungrateful of his presence. Truthfully, she was glad that he had come to visit her and not because he had been there just in time to save her but because his presence was nevertheless calming and balanced.

After moving out of the house (with much protests of her beloved father) she had resolved to live on her own and study to her heart's content. However, there were still times when she felt lonely and a little too reserved when it came to her social life. The twins e-mailed her constantly, but somehow it didn't feel like it was enough. Tamaki's hyperactive personality only made her want to run away to someplace quiet. Hunny and Mori were constantly busy with their dojo and running a famous sweets shop and had very little time to visit her. She felt strangely lonely; thus she was grateful of Kyouya's visit today.

"I see," was his quiet reply. "You haven't changed much, Haruhi."

"You've changed a lot, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said, stirring her coffee absentmindedly.

"Hmm?" Kyouya inquired. "How so?"

"I can't put my finger on it," Haruhi attempted to explain lamely. "But you seem to have a different atmosphere about you."

Kyouya gave a small chuckle before he asked, quite suddenly, "Will you go out to dinner with me, Haruhi?"

--

"Eh!" Haruhi's eyes had widened as he turned his attention away from the window.

"Call me whenever you have free time," He had said. He reached into his fashionable jacket, pulled out a pad of paper and a pen before scribbling down his number in graceful handwriting. Placing the piece of paper down in front of her, he stood, paid for both of their drinks and headed back out into the busy streets, leaving her dumbfounded in the coffee shop.

_What the hell was I thinking?_ Kyouya reprimanded himself as he called for his car.

Sure, he hadn't planned on sitting with Haruhi at a commoner's coffee shop, nor had he planned on punching that boy's lights out when he saw him grab for her, but he had definitely not planned on asking her to dinner. It was one of those things about her that made him want to be with her. She had gotten quite feminine during the past few years.

Her hair, which was always a rich chocolate color and cut boyishly short, was now medium-lengthened, reaching almost to her shoulders. Her eyes were always large but they seemed to have softened with a beautiful womanly glow. She was graceful (and thank goodness for that—it would have been very unattractive if she was to knock over another Rune vase) and acquired the minimum curves that made her seem even more beautiful. She was not voracious in body, but rather petite and girly. She spoke in a gentle, lulling voice that seemed to calm all of the frustrations and irritations that he had bottled up.

Kyouya had been quite sure that she was not going to give him a call about any future dates (he _had_ heard her turn down the Kentaro boy, clearly voicing her disinterest in dating) and was left cursing himself as he returned to his luxurious condominium for another day's worth of work. Therefore, he was even more surprised to find that after a shower following another long day of competition with his two older brothers, he received a call from a rather flustered Fujioka Haruhi.

"Ano…Kyouya-senpai?" Her voice seemed to be shaking lightly.

"Haruhi?" He asked, pausing in all movements, including the drying of his hair.

"Hai," Haruhi said in an unsure voice. "About that dinner...I'd like to take up on your offer."

The towel that had been in his hand fluttered clumsily to his bare feet, his dark eyes wide at her answer. His day seemed to be getting better and better at every passing second.

"Kyouya-senpai?"

"Ah," He said unperturbedly, seating himself on his bed. "When do you have time?"

"Is Friday night all right?" She asked after a moment of silence.

Kyouya glanced over at his planner and flipped through the pages. Luckily, he had nothing to do that night.

"It's fine," He spoke, shutting his planner with a single hand. "I'll pick you up at seven."

"All right," She said, allegedly a bit more cheerful. "I'll see you then."

Kyouya stared at his phone in almost-visual disbelief before shutting it with a click, a satisfying smirk appearing across his lips. This was certainly more than he had hoped for.

--

**Author's Note:** (I edited this chapter due to some advice given by various reviews. Thank you all to those who corrected me and suggested ideas : And please don't ask me when the next chapter is coming out...because I have absolutely no idea. All I do is type ideas onto a word document--as for when I'm finished typing, I have no clue.)

"Hai, Ootori-sama" translates to "Yes, Master Ootori." The prefix -sama is addressed to those above someone else. (Like a servant to a king)  
"Fujioka-san!" The prefix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
"Kentaro-kun," The prefix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
"Kyouya-sempai!" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
"Ano..." translates roughly into "umm..."

(I will start to use the minimum amount of Japanese. I'm sorry if I did not do that before.)

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading


	2. Chapter 2

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** Nya-san's birthday! (And happy birthday, FRoP! much ai)  
**Dedicated to:** Nya-nya...happy birthday, love! x3  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage! I did an excessive amount of research of wine and foods; however, that does NOT mean that everything in this fanfiction is accurate! If you can spot any gliches at all, please tell me so that I can change it

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...I would own Ouran if stars would grant wishes, but hey...I can dream, can't I? xP

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Two**:

When he picked her up at promptly seven Friday evening, she was dressed in a nice, modest dress—not to mention it was rather common, but what did he expect? Although she dressed simply compared to those rich women that he, unfortunately, met by means of business, she looked nothing like a commoner. He was almost speechless at her sophistication before reverting back to his cool, business mode, thickening his ice walls a notch…just in case.

"You look nice, Haruhi," He complimented her sincerely as he opened the door for her on the passenger's side of his car.

"Ah, thank you," She smiled at him politely before seating herself in the leather seats. "I wasn't sure where you'd be taking me…"

"You're dressed accordingly," He assured her once he sat down at the driver's side of his black European car. "Our reservation is at seven-thirty."

"How long will it take us to get there?" Haruhi asked him, as if trying to keep a friendly conversation.

He smiled secretly at her efforts and started the engine.

"Approximately twenty minutes," He answered, pulling from the curb of her humble apartment complex.

"I didn't know you drove, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said in slight awe at the sight of an expensive car. "I figured all rich people preferred to have drivers drive them around everywhere."

"Most of them do," Kyouya stated. "But I do not."

"Why?" She asked him, her eyes filled with curiosity. "You seem like the type to prefer being driven instead of driving yourself."

_She's become cuter,_ Kyouya thought, _but she's still as blunt as ever._

"There are limits to what I can take in a high society," Kyouya said, keeping his eyes on the road. "When no one's watching, it doesn't matter."

Haruhi gave a small laugh and Kyouya glanced over at her briefly.

"Did I say something funny?" He inquired, returning his eyes on the road.

"No," Haruhi gave another small laugh. "I just remembered you said something remotely similar at the mall a long time ago."

It was true, he realized as he looked back on that day. Thanks to Tamaki and his lust for commoners' knowledge, leaving him stranded at the mall without his cell phone or wallet, he spent the entire day with Haruhi and leaving his soul bare for her to inspect. 'Bare' would be an exaggeration, but no one had analyzed him that fully before and that was as bare as he got.

The rest of the ride to the restaurant was rather silent but it wasn't stifling—it was rather comfortable and refined. It was an atmosphere that only made him glad that he had asked her out to dinner in a whim, even if it was unintentional. No, it made him pleased and quite thankful that she had accepted his offer.

Her presence had a strange affect on him and for the life of him, he could not understand why. In fact, when it came to Haruhi, he didn't understand anything at all. He couldn't manipulate her or break down the wall that separated them. Even despite the relaxed sensation he felt around her, she was a mystery to him. Was it because she was a commoner?

That was it, wasn't it? She was a mere commoner and he was a part of the higher society where lineage was everything, followed closely by money. She had neither the lineage nor the money and, in addition, did not receive any training in etiquette. Yes, that's exactly why he could never understand her. There was no way someone of his high status would understand someone who was at the near bottom of society's food chain. That's right. It was impossible.

Kyouya shook his head lightly and when he focused his mind, he found that they were almost at their destination. He glimpsed over at the silent Haruhi and found her glancing out of the window with a relaxed—and was there a hint of content?—expression on her face. That was strange…has he ever seen her so peaceful before in his presence?

If Tamaki had been here, he would have fallen in love with her all over again…and then gone off on ridiculous tangents about marriage and princes and who knows what else?

"This is where we're eating?" Haruhi didn't even bother to hide the surprise in her voice.

"Yes," He answered as he killed the engine and handed his keys to the nearby valet who bowed courteously before walking over to the other side to join her as another valet opened the door for her. "Does that surprise you?"

"Somehow," Haruhi started, sweatdropping, "now that I think about it, it doesn't. Only rich places suit your taste, doesn't it?"

"You could say that," Kyouya spoke, chuckling lightly at her train of thought.

"I just wouldn't imagine you bringing me to some place so _high-class_," Haruhi stated as they walked into the fancy restaurant, greeted by well-dressed and groomed waiters. "It's a bit too generous coming from you, Kyouya-senpai."

"Do you still think about that debt you acquired at Ouran, Haruhi?" Kyouya gave her a small smirk as they walked up to the front desk.

"Can you blame me?" Haruhi said rather unresponsively.

"Ah, Ootori-sama," The waiter behind the front desk bowed politely as he caught sight of them. "Please, this way."

They followed the man to the nearby elevator, which was decorated lightly with a splash of light peach and a tint of gold. Silence adorned them as they slowly rode up to the top floor, Haruhi absorbed in her surroundings and he—well, he watched her. He watched her as every breath left her body and every breath that was taken in. He watched as her lips parted as she inhaled and exhaled in a soothing rhythm as if to become one with the air. A few locks of her hair fluttered as the air conditioning blew past her, making her seem even more feminine than before…

…and then suddenly, the magic died away as the elevator boy announced that they were at their floor.

"Ootori-sama," Outside, another waiter greeted them with a charming smile. "Your table is right this way."

"Do you come here often, Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi asked once they were seated by the window, overlooking the beautiful shining city.

"Yes, this is where I usually dine with business associates," He spoke, placing the cream-colored napkin over his lap. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem well-known here," Haruhi gave a small shrug.

"Would you like anything to drink?" The waiter that had seated them was back, holding two leather bound menus.

"Water is fine," Haruhi smiled at the waiter amiably as she took his offered menu.

"Viognier," He said evenly, also taking the menu from the smiling waiter.

"Yes, of course," The waiter bowed and left them in peace.

"Viognier?" Haruhi inquired curiously. "Isn't that a rare white wine?"

"Yes," Kyouya replied, lightly surprised at her extensive knowledge about wine. "I didn't expect you to know about it."

"My father does work at a bar, you know," Haruhi pointed out as her brown eyes scanned the menu. "I know a few things about wine and alcohol of sorts."

Kyouya kept a mental note of Haruhi's knowledge of wine and alcohol before returning his attention to the menu he held in front of him. The familiar sophisticated letters printed on cream-colored parchment-like paper was popping out elegantly in front of him, but he couldn't seem to read them. He was feeling slightly uneasy, as if someone had opened the door on a winter's day and he was pulled out of the warmth of his bed into the cold.

"Are you prepared to order?" The waiter (whose smile was starting to look forced) returned, holding his pen tightly in his hand after he set down their drinks.

After they ordered, he and Haruhi sat in silence, gazing out at the night sky and city lights. She mystified him—no; her reaction towards him and any situation mystified him. She was strangely innocent, but peculiarly sharp about her surroundings. He had no doubt that she has matured during their five years apart, but that only made him uneasy. Had she become even more perceptive than before?

Their orders arrived promptly ten minutes after they've ordered and they ate quietly, making light conversation here and there whenever Haruhi began to feel uncomfortable. Kyouya couldn't help but chuckle at her slight edginess, mentally pushing away any thoughts that had the words 'Haruhi' and 'cute' in the same sentence.

Maybe Tamaki was rubbing off on him…

"You seem tired, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi began, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed down at the lit city below them, their plates empty. "Aren't you tired of keeping up this façade of being stoic and emotionless?"

She reverted her eyes back to him and gave him one of her knowing smiles.

"What makes you think this is a façade?" He questioned her, taking a sip of his Viognier. He felt the cold, comforting, slightly sweet wine wash down his throat, cooling any unneeded heat that may have arisen due to her question.

"You aren't emotionless, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said, looking back out into the dark horizon once more. "You're different."

Kyouya watched her as her large eyes took in the night view. She held an air of sincerity and when she caught his gaze, she only beamed at him, lips curved into a graceful smile that would have made any normal man's heart stop, even for a second. But he was Ootori Kyouya and he was not normal. He was not going to fall in love with her.

"Good night, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said in her soft voice when he dropped her off at her apartment complex. "Are you sure you don't want to come in?"

"Yes," Kyouya replied politely. "I have an important meeting early tomorrow that I cannot miss."

"I see," Haruhi smiled at him. "Oh, and Kyouya-senpai…"

"Hm?" He glanced up at her.

"If you were so emotionless," She began, brown eyes twinkling from underneath her bangs as if she was teasing him and his feelings. "Then you wouldn't have protected me from Kentaro-kun and with a punch, no less. Don't you think so?" And without awaiting his reply, "Good night."

Kyouya watched her as she elegantly entered her apartment complex, never looking back at him for his reaction. He drove home and, loosening the first few buttons of his dress shirt, sat on his bed, hearing her voice echo over and over in his head. Her smile was evident from the lonesome shadows of his bedroom. He couldn't seem to shake her fragrance and her presence from his mind.

He needed another glass of wine or else he'll never be able to get to sleep tonight.

--

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the long delay of releasing this chapter. Researching wine and foods is a longer process than you may think and I wanted to release this on Nya-san's birthday which just happened to be a long way away from when I released chapter one :sweatdrop: Please forgive me::bow:

This chapter was a bit boring--sorry about that--and a bit choppy because I was stuck in a horrible box called "writers block" and I was rushing to finish this in time for Nya-san's and FRoP's birthday. Next chapter will be better, I promise!

- I spell Kyouya with a 'u' and if you have a problem with it, I'm terribly sorry...just pretend it's not there...or something  
- "Ootori-sama" The prefix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society  
- Viognier is a rare, expensive white wine known to match spicy foods

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** the sake of writing  
**Dedicated to:** Krys-sama--the wonderful person who started FRoP 3  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage! This isn't BETA'd...not like any of my other works are, but if you find any mistakes that aren't too great, please pretend you don't see anything :P

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...the day I own Ouran is the day I get to marry Kyouya. Now, what does that tell you?

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Three**:

Haruhi sighed as she closed her textbooks along with the rest of her class as the bell rang, signaling the end of class.

It's been a week since she had dinner with Kyouya and she was distracted. She was distracted from her studies and from her everyday life, but what distracted her the most was that for some strange reason, she kept staring at her phone whenever she was at home and _especially_ when she had studying to do.

"Fujioka-san," Her Law professor spoke up as she stood from her seat, ready to leave the classroom with the rest of the class. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Yes, sensei," Haruhi replied, walking towards her professor's desk.

"Has something been troubling you?" Her professor asked her, looking thoroughly concerned after everyone else had left the classroom.

"No, sensei," Haruhi lied, clutching her books tightly to her chest.

"You seem distracted as of late," He explained. "I am worried that you are not taking care of yourself well."

"I'm fine, sensei," Haruhi answered with a smile. "I just haven't been getting enough sleep,"

_Because I can't stop thinking about him,_ Haruhi growled mentally at herself._ I can't even study at night!_

It was true—Haruhi hadn't been able to push him out of her head since the dinner. Ootori Kyouya was pushing his way into her mind and she couldn't seem to get herself rid of him. In fact, it felt like she was in love—no, that was the wrong word—_infatuated_ would be the correct term. But this was Kyouya-senpai, the Shadow King of the ever-famous Host Club, who kept her on her toes whenever he was near…is that why she couldn't stop thinking about him? Nevertheless, she knew that it wasn't the reason at all.

After the talk with her professor (who was still seriously concerned about his top student when she dismissed herself), she left Tokyo University, returning home just long enough to drop off her books and change into her work uniform, consisting of a white blouse, a black vest, and a black knee-length business skirt.

Now that she was living alone and independent, she had to work for a living but she enjoyed it. She found a job at a nearby café just a few weeks after renting her comfortable apartment and was now working happily as a waitress there (thanks to some training that Misuzu-san had put her through during her first summer with the Host Club.) Whenever she had to work as an intern for a local law firm, her boss would always gladly allow her to take a break from the waitress life and work towards her dream.

"Hello everyone," Haruhi greeted them as she entered the café through the back door, shrugging off her light jacket as the warm air of the building began to make her uncomfortable.

The air was becoming chilly, signaling the start of fall and then soon, the leaves will be turning into their calming reds, oranges, and yellows. Haruhi loved fall—it was beautiful and the air was crisp in the mornings, which always seemed to put her in a better mood. But the beginning of fall also signaled _that day_…that melancholy day that still made her heart ache just thinking about it.

Haruhi shook the dark thoughts from her head and folded her jacket, placing it neatly in her small locker and placed a few handy clips in her hair to keep her bangs from irritating her from her work. She walked towards the sink and washed her hands thoroughly, greeting those who were cheerful enough to greet her.

"Haruhi! We need you in section two!" A voice shouted from somewhere in the front amidst a chorus of screams.

"Coming!" Haruhi called back as she grabbed a towel to dry off her hands.

She hurried to the front to find that one of their customers had brought in a pet—a…what was that? A large rat?—and it was now roaming section two at lightning speed, scaring the wits out of the other unfortunate customers in that section who were ordered to stay seated and _stay calm_.

"What is that?" Haruhi asked the nearby waitress named Tsukiko, who was sighing at the chaos a little animal was causing.

"Some sort of rat or something," Tsukiko answered, shuddering lightly. "I hate rats."

"Haruhi, can you please help me catch it?" A close friend, Riiko, was panting and out of breath. "You're good with animals, right?"

"Not really," Haruhi admitted truthfully.

"Well, please help me anyway!" Riiko grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the crowd that gathered around section two with curious looks on their faces. "I can't catch this darned thing by myself!"

At the corner of her eye, she spotted a man bowing over and over to their boss and recognized the man as the person who had brought in the furry creature from outside.

"Behind you!"

Haruhi spun around and barely missed the creature as it gave a leap onto her shoulder and over the sea of onlookers.

At that moment, the door of the café opened and three rather tall figures walked in.

"Catch that thing!" Riiko shrieked at them.

Haruhi watched as the animal landed neatly in one of the figure's arms and she hurried off to relieve the person of it.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" She exclaimed when she reached them, her eyes glued onto the animal (which could now be identified as a chinchilla) in high hopes that it doesn't run away. "We're so sorry about that."

She took the chinchilla from the figure's arms, although the chinchilla looked awfully comfortable there. Haruhi looked up into the figure's face and her eyes widened, "Kyouya-senpai…?"

"HARUHI!" Another of the three figures exclaimed boisterously and attacked her, hugging her until she couldn't breathe.

"Tamaki-senpai?" Haruhi glanced sideways at the mop of golden hair at her shoulder. She winced as he hugged her tighter, nearly crushing the chinchilla that was now struggling in her grasp.

"YOU REMEMBERED ME, HARUHI!" Tamaki cried gleefully. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HAPPY THAT MAKES DADDY!"

Haruhi bit her lip and winced as the chinchilla sunk its sharp teeth into her right arm, violently thrashing in her arms, begging for freedom.

"Stop it, Tamaki," Kyouya pulled Tamaki off of her. "Fuyumi, find a seat for us and take him with you."

Riiko had now gotten through the crowd and relieved Haruhi of the now-calmed chinchilla, who snuggled lovingly against Riiko's bosom.

"Haruhi! You're bleeding!" Riiko cried out.

"Oh," Haruhi glanced down at her arm. "I'll go wash up and bandage it. I'll be right back."

Haruhi headed towards the sink in the back, trying to turn on the faucet awkwardly with her left hand. She struggled with the tightly-closed faucet before an elegant hand closed over hers and turned it sharply, freeing the water from its confinements. That elegant hand had only disappeared from sight for a moment before she felt a body towering over hers, another hand grasping her injured arm gently, running it under the cool water. His free hand was on her other side and it gently ran over her wound so that she was caught in the middle of his embrace.

Haruhi recognized the figure's scent immediately, and then his warmth, and then the rhythm of his smooth breathing. Since when was she so aware of him and his addicting presence? The sound of his leather shoes clicking on the floor, the habit of pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose whenever he was hinting at something, even the rustle of his expensive, yet fashionable, clothes happened to be more distinct than anyone else's.

Kyouya turned the faucet off and silently patted her arm dry with a nearby towel. Holding her right arm, he used his free hand to reach into his pocket to pull out a rather expensive-looking handkerchief and wrapped it almost lovingly around the wound. All this time, Haruhi was staring intently at her arm and found that she felt too embarrassed to look up at him.

That was strange, she thought to herself. She never had a problem with looking at people before and feeling embarrassed wasn't one of her many fortes. Fujioka Haruhi was hardly ever embarrassed, so why did she start now?

"Thank you, Kyouya-senpai," She smiled up at him with gratitude, carefully avoiding his dark eyes.

"It was nothing," was Kyouya's short reply before he turned and joined Tamaki and Fuyumi at the nearby window seat.

"Are you okay, Haruhi?" Riiko, with a few other coworkers, gathered around her in worry. "The customer apologized deeply and left."

"I'm fine," Haruhi smiled at them with reassurance.

"All right," spoke up the deep voice of their boss. "Get back to work."

Haruhi greeted him with a smile and he replied by patting her on the head in greeting. She quickly went to work greeting entering customers, cleaning tables, and damn it, was she glancing in his direction _again_?

"Haruhi, did you want to take your break now?" Tsukiko asked her after a while.

"Eh? But it's not time yet…"

"It's okay!" Tsukiko said cheerfully, pulling her from the cash register, leaving a customer standing there looking confused. "I'll take over for you today!"

"But…!" Haruhi began to protest.

"Someone at table five wants to speak to you," Tsukiko whispered into her ear, pushing her into that direction. "And he's good-looking to boot! So go on!"

Haruhi sighed, pulling off her apron.

She was fully aware that he was watching her with those onyx eyes, their intensity hidden behind his glasses. And no matter just how aware she was of his gaze, she concentrated solely on her polished black (and admittedly rather cheap) heels as she slowly walked to table five.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki exclaimed once more. "Come sit down with us!"

Before Haruhi could reply, she was pushed into the empty seat next to Ootori Kyouya, facing a grinning Tamaki and a meek-looking woman she's never met before.

"You must be the infamous Fujioka Haruhi I've always heard about," she said with a pleasant smile.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know you," Haruhi said bluntly before she realized just how rude she must have sounded.

"She's Shido Fuyumi," Kyouya spoke up, looking rather relaxed in a commoner's coffee shop. "My elder sister married into the Shido family."

Haruhi felt her eyes widen at the gentle, warm woman across the table before reverting her eyes to the cool exterior of the handsome man sitting next to her, whose evil could rival the devil.

"You're siblings!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"Why are you so surprised?" Kyouya questioned her, sipping his coffee nonchalantly.

"Well, I…" Haruhi felt speechless before deciding that it would probably be better to keep her mouth shut. To think that the cold Ootori Kyouya had such a beautiful and loving sister! It must have made one wonder what went wrong in Kyouya's life that could have made him so detached and obsessed with profits and benefits.

_Rich people must have it hard,_ Haruhi sweatdropped. _It makes me fortunate to be a commoner._

As Tamaki and Fuyumi chattered on about the absolute wonders of the tasteless coffee and noisy commoners ("oh…and we can't forget about those delightful little snacks they serve!"), Haruhi sat quietly at Kyouya's side, half-listening to their conversation and half-wondering what she was doing in such a group.

She would have preferred to be working right now, or even having a nice cup of tea while she studied at home. Instead, she was stuck at her own café, listening to two rich people gawk at everything and silent man—who could've been invisible for all he cared—drinking his coffee and gazing out of the window, his sharp eyes drinking in any piece of information he could use for future references in that overworking (but good-looking) head of his.

Haruhi sighed and dropped her hand to her side, leaving it dangling in boredom, reflecting the idle thoughts that currently ran through her head.

She admitted to herself that her knowledge on dating is less than the average person and that's she's definitely never been head over heels in love before, but it wasn't as if she was particularly interested in the matter anyway. She had always loved studying and hadn't found anything or anyone that could take her interest away. Except now.

_What is he thinking about?_ She wondered, giving him a sidelong glance before glancing at the clean tabletop once more, feeling like a schoolgirl who was caught staring at a recent crush. She didn't need to worry about things like this, right? Like her father used to say: "What happens happen; just let your life go its course."

Remembering her father's rare, intelligent quote, Haruhi felt calm and dropped the subject before going through her lessons in her head. She was halfway through the lesson before she realized that Tamaki had been calling her.

"Ha-ru-hi!" Tamaki smiled brightly. "You're spacing out!"

"I'm sorry," Haruhi said quickly. "I was just going through some lessons in my head."

"Oh?" Fuyumi inquired. "What are you majoring?"

"Law," Haruhi answered with a smile.

Fuyumi only gave her a knowing smile in return before resuming her commoner discussion with Tamaki.

"I apologize," Kyouya spoke up.

"Eh?"

"For having you go through this," Kyouya gestured toward the happily chatting pair across from them.

"You were the only who requested me?" Haruhi asked, slightly surprised.

"No," He replied simply. "That was Tamaki."

Haruhi was silent and felt rather stupid for assuming that the Shadow King would ever request _anyone's_ presence, much less her own.

_Mother,_ Haruhi thought to her mother up in Heaven. _What am I going to do?_

Kyouya was difficult to pin down. She was sure he had emotions and she had good reason to believe so, despite popular belief. It wasn't just her past experiences with him that resulted in her to believe that, but even now, he gaze upon his sister with hidden affection and Tamaki with appreciation.

She was hardly ever curious (when it came to life itself) but he was the first person to rouse her hidden curiosity. He made her want to know more, particularly about him.

"Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi spoke up bravely.

"Yes?" Kyouya glanced over at her, an elegant, dark eyebrow raised in inquisition.

"Do you have free time sometime this week?"

--

Author's Note: Thanks to all who are still reading and reviewing this horrible story of mine xP Also, thanks to Nya-san, who's always supporting me and my distasteful writing (and putting up with my horrible singing voice whenever we have MSN karaoke xP)!

- "Fujioka-san" The prefix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "sensei" is translated into "teacher"  
- Misuzu-san was Haruhi's father's crossdressing friend that held the "Refreshing Battles" between the Host Club members to see who was most capable of staying at the pension.  
- "Arigatou gozaimasu" means "thank you very much"  
- "Kyouya-senpai...?" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** the sake of writing  
**Dedicated to:** all of my readers and reviewers! Thank you so much for giving me support and critiques without hurting my feelings (much) xD You are all wonderful!  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. This fanfic is also slightly songfic like AND SLIGHTLY BORING. (What's up with me and boring chapters?) And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there /

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...if I had a penny every time I wish I owned Ouran, I would be filthy rich by now but since I'm not, that would mean I don't own Ouran xP

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Four**:

Ootori Kyouya rarely woke up before nine a.m. (in a good mood no less), but for some strange reason, he was up at seven a.m. and even felt energetic enough to jog at the Ootori private park for an hour before returning to his condo and showering.

Just a few days ago, he was forced out of bed by Tamaki and whisked away in a limo with his sister before stopping at a circus who claimed to be in town for only one day. Of course, Suou Tamaki, the rightful heir to the Suou name and was now very successful, just _had_ to go before they "missed a spectacular event that may one day unite commoners and rich folk alike." Then he was whisked away once more to some sort of freak carnival before ending up at Haruhi's workplace.

He had expected at least _some_ sort of peace there but instead opened the door only to find that a rodent had landed in his arms as if it had been running away from something and expected him to protect it. While Tamaki was buoyant to see Haruhi in proper girlish clothes (does he even remember that she had rejected his proposal a few years back?) Kyouya secretly felt that Haruhi was fine just the way she was, in men's _and_ women's clothes.

Remembering the little lie he told Haruhi during Tamaki's and Fuyumi's little chat, his mind blanked out for a moment. Why had he told her that Tamaki requested her presence when Tamaki clearly was more interested in chatting with his sister? Why on earth did he, Ootori Kyouya, request for her presence anyway and then _lied_ about it?

"Ootori-sama," a voice came over the intercom as he sat at his laptop, finishing up a few business documents that needed to be sent out the next day.

"Yes?" He replied, saving his documents and shutting his laptop with a soft click.

"Your car is ready,"

He stood and walked over to his bed where he placed his jacket and pulled on the said casual jacket (though the price was not-so-casual) over his black turtleneck.

"Thank you," Kyouya grabbed his car keys and prepared to leave his home, placing his wallet and cell phone carefully in his pockets.

Haruhi had been very considerate and asked for him to meet her at her apartment at eleven a.m. When he had raised an eyebrow at the rather bizarre time, she only smiled her innocent smile and said, _"Kyouya-senpai isn't a morning person, right?"_

He stopped at the door, his hand resting on the doorknob. This feeling that welled up in his throat was indistinguishable to him. There was something about this feeling that would have made any expressive human being feel like crying, or feel the need to be embraced by warm, loving arms.

Kyouya shook his head violently and boldly opened his condo door, locking it behind him. There wasn't any time in his life to be thinking useless, sentimental thoughts. He was a busy man, investing in his own investments to satisfy his father, struggling to become better businessmen than his brothers, and…

He walked down to his car and waved away the valet who was prepared to open the door for him. There were rare times when he wanted to escape this routine life with servants and all. That was always a strange thought for him, considering he looked down on commoners ever since he was a child. They were always known as scum and nothing higher.

But that changed when he met Haruhi. Sure, he was skeptical of her at first and had fun raising her debt and playing games with her mind but as he watched her from the shadows, he found that she wasn't at all what he had predicted. She was beautiful (in her own way, of course), her eyes looking into the horizon, giving her an almost-dreamy appeal. Playing games with her was just a way to pass the time at Ouran and he had enjoyed it. He didn't realize just how much his world revolved around her until the day of his and Tamaki's graduation.

While Tamaki was stone-faced and looking positively miserable that night, fingering the velvet box in his pocket nervously all during the chairman's speech and whatnot, he had felt relieved that he was leaving Ouran for good. School had only hindered his time and his future plans for the Ootori company and leaving the confining marble school was probably the best moment in his life. (Well, that and then the time when he will finally be named the heir of the Ootori company.)

It wasn't until the graduation dinner that he noticed that Haruhi had accepted Tamaki's invitation to their graduation and was standing to the side with the Hitachiin twins. They were speaking in low tones and he caught a look of frustration on Hikaru's face (who else would make such a sour face when Tamaki waltzed up to Haruhi and asked her to dance?) when Haruhi was whisked away.

The moment Tamaki and Haruhi disappeared into the crowded dance floor, Kyouya realized that the next day, he would no longer have the chance to manipulate her, or to see her unravel into a blossoming woman, who will one day capture men's eyes and hearts. At that thought, he felt a little bit of emptiness inside of his chest. He was a proud person and he hated the thought that Haruhi could rouse _any_ sort of feeling within those ice barriers he placed over himself. Why was she the only person who could stir up the feeling that he's shunned the entire eighteen years of his existence?

"_Kyouya," Tamaki had spoken to him when the night came to an end and everyone was exchanging teary good-byes._

"_What is it, Tamaki?" Kyouya had asked in return, pulling at his blasted tie with irritation._

"_Haruhi—she, well, she said no," Tamaki had looked so horribly depressed and on the verge of killing himself that Kyouya immediately felt sorry for the man in front of him. "I don't suppose it's manly to cry now, is it?"_

"_No," Kyouya allowed his voice to soften a bit. "No, I suppose not."_

After that night, Tamaki concentrated on winning his grandmother's affections and was then named the heir before working diligently as the master of the Suou empire. He had even dated a few women through omiai before politely declining their presence when the time came. Suou Tamaki declared that he would love Haruhi and only Haruhi before running into another large, brown-eyed commoner (although she was remarkably sweeter and just as cute as Haruhi) who he was currently courting with the utmost delight.

Kyouya had always wondered what Tamaki saw in Haruhi. She was blunt, nothing at all like a girl, and did not indulge in material pleasures as all other girls did at their age. She shot Tamaki down repeatedly, expressing her disinterest in him and yet, he kept chasing after her, like an unattainable dream.

_He's still an idiot,_ Kyouya thought to himself with a light chuckle as he drove off to Haruhi's apartment complex, glancing at his watch quickly. _But I'll give him credit for being a man—no matter how idiotic he may be._

When he arrived at the front of Haruhi's apartment complex, he was slightly surprised to find Haruhi already waiting for him. She was wearing a pair of girly jeans and a casual long-sleeved top that only made her look even more feminine. Her hair was slightly clipped back and a smile made its way to her face when she recognized his car.

_Well then,_ He thought to himself. _I suppose I can see why Tamaki was so infatuated with her._

--

Haruhi breathed in the cool air as she watched Kyouya's black car drive up to her apartment complex. It was so like him to buy a black car, and an expensive European one at that. He wasn't the type to buy a flashy car, considering his conservative personality.

She had just returned from an idle stroll around the block (the fall weather was too nice today to stay cooped up at home) before she recognized the black car driving towards her. She's only seen his car once but she knew it at first glance because the driver in the driver's seat gave a detached and mysterious air that was easy to place.

"Kyouya-senpai," She greeted him with a smile as he pulled up next to her. "Good morning."

"Good morning," He replied as he shut off the engine.

"Would you like to come inside for a bit?" Haruhi asked him, pulling the collar of her jacket up to block the icy wind. "My things are inside."

Kyouya didn't reply but instead, joined her at the curb and followed her inside the warm complex. She greeted the security amiably and led him up to her apartment in silence. Opening the door, she welcomed the warm atmosphere of her home and glanced up at Kyouya to see his reaction.

He was emotionless, as usual, but his appearance seemed a bit gentler than before as he gazed around her apartment in forged disinterest. Her home was most definitely not as magnificent as his, nor was it stylishly furnished, but Haruhi found it comfortable and homey. It was the perfect place to study in and relax in whenever she needed to.

Haruhi headed for the small kitchen on her left and grabbed the paper bag sitting on the counter before she smiled lightly at Kyouya and spoke, "Would you like a tour of my home now or after?"

"After would be fine," Kyouya answered, giving the brown bag in her hand an apprehensive glance before gesturing towards the door. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Haruhi spoke, slipping back into her shoes before following him out of her home.

Their trip out of the warm complex was silent but Haruhi found it to her liking. As a child, she never liked loud noises; when it got loud enough, it would remind her of thunder and the very thought of it made her jumpy and nervous. Besides that, Kyouya possessed an atmosphere that made her feel like she was sinking into a nice warm bath after a day's worth of hard work and endless studying. It was a very comfortable feeling.

"Where are we going?" Kyouya inquired, pulling his car keys back out of his pocket as they walked back out into the cool air. He looked like he was ready to jump inside his luxurious car in attempt to avoid any other commoner sight he might have to get in involved with.

"We don't need a car for where we're going," Haruhi gave a small chuckle. "We'll be walking there. The weather's wonderful today for walking, don't you think so?"

Haruhi watched as Kyouya paused, processed her words for a moment before murmuring, "Yes, the weather _is_ nice today."

At those words, Haruhi felt a foreign warmth spreading throughout her body. That was strange, wasn't it? They weren't sweet words directed at her, nor did they have any intention of any feelings for her on his part, but she felt as if she was slightly floating on air and felt a twinge of happiness in her chest.

As they walked towards the park, Haruhi remembered the years they spent at Ouran. She was never close to Kyouya and only truly talked to him about once or twice, but other than that, all she could do was watch him. He was always known to be the "Shadow King" and manipulated everyone, and anyone, who could pose to be some kind of financial benefit, but as she watched him, she began to realize that the "Shadow King" wasn't as evil as she first thought of him to be. He was strangely gentle and careful around his friends and even though he would deny it, he cared a lot about them. He never showed his emotions on his face (or, his true emotions anyway) but she knew deep down inside of him that he was probably suffering under the weight of the rich society.

"Good morning, Haruhi-chan!" The lady at the fruit stand waved at her as they passed by.

"Good morning," Haruhi answered cheerfully. Haruhi felt Kyouya's eyes on her and she looked up to meet his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Kyouya answered, looking ahead once more. "Are commoners always like this?"

"Like what?" Haruhi asked, slightly confused.

"Like this," Kyouya waved a hand at smiling merchants and customers exchanging hearty hellos and 'see you later's. "Cheerful, unsophisticated,"

"Well," Haruhi began thoughtfully. "If we're unsophisticated but happy, I think we'd rather be unsophisticated."

"I see," Kyouya said quietly before looking somewhere ahead of them.

Haruhi felt a sliver of melancholy-like feeling coming from him and stared up at him in wonder. Did he finally understand the ways of the commoner—simple living with a happy existence? Or was he reflecting on his own life, surrounded by riches and loneliness?

"Ah, we're here," Haruhi spoke up as they reached the entrance to the park.

"We're going in here?" Kyouya raised an eyebrow at the laughing children, running about the park chasing each other.

"Yes," Haruhi replied. "We're going to feed the ducks."

After a short moment's hesitation, Kyouya joined her and they fell in step with each other as they headed for the pond.

The trees were not bare yet; the leaves on their branches turning a light bronze color, indicating that they have begun their yearly change. The air was refreshing and cool, and the slight breeze played over the idle beings in the park. Many were seated underneath those trees with blankets spread out, munching happily on picnic food. Laughter filled the air as children ran past them and couples looked on fondly with hands intertwined and bodies close. Music played lightly in the background from someone's stereo and gave the park an almost-romantic atmosphere, but not quite.

Haruhi opened the brown bag when they reached the pond and broke off bits and pieces of bread before throwing it at the rippling waters. She seated herself at its shore and watched as the ducks swam cautiously up to the crumbs before snatching at it and swimming away until they were back at a safe distance.

"Is this what commoners do for fun?" Kyouya asked her, seating himself at the pond's edge next to her. "Feeding wildlife and sitting outside?"

Haruhi thought for a moment before, "Yes, I suppose it's what we do for fun. But there are other ways we have fun too."

Kyouya fell silent once more and gazed out at the pond with faraway eyes. The breeze wafted through his dark hair, mussing it up enough to make him look less refined but somehow, he still held that natural intensity. Was it his thoughts that made him seem almost impossible to reach? Or was it the ice barriers that she wasn't able to overcome, no matter how hard she tried?

_I suppose I'll have to wait until those ice barriers melt,_ Haruhi thought with a sigh. _Or else I'll never understand what goes through his head._

Haruhi broke off another piece of bread and threw it into the pond. She watched as it arched gracefully into the blue sky and fall with a silent plop onto the water before a nearby duck dove for it eagerly.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Haruhi asked, handing him the bag.

Kyouya gave her a rather subtle glare before releasing a sigh and reaching into the bag to break off a piece of bread. Then, he tossed it into the pond rather carelessly and watched in slight amusement as a hoard of ducks rushed towards the crumb.

It went like this for half an hour—Kyouya breaking off a piece and throwing it into the pond before handing Haruhi the bag and the vice versa would occur. This happened until they finished ripping the bread to pieces and ended up just staring out at the park.

Haruhi felt at peace and for once her mind wasn't on her studies or her work. The atmosphere of the park was nice, the weather was nice, and the person she sat next to was silent, something she cherished in her loud, chaotic life. Perhaps it was because of the silence and comfort that his presence offered that made her feel this not-quite-infatuated feeling? She felt as if she was infatuated but there was something different and yet…she felt that she knew the feeling well. It was quite a complicated concept and she decided not to dwell on it any longer.

As noon slowly approached, they listened to the various songs that came over the nearby stereo. Many couples were leaving the park for lunch but Haruhi felt too comfortable to bring up the subject of leaving the park. Suddenly, she perked up when she heard the popular American song "When You Say Nothing At All" by the singer Alison Krauss.

Haruhi closed her eyes to the sweet tune before opening them to find a hand outstretched to her.

"May I have this dance?" Kyouya asked her with a small smile.

Haruhi felt her eyes widen before replying with a small smile and blush, "Yes."

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart  
__Without saying a word, you can light up the dark  
__Try as I may I could never explain  
__What I hear when you don't say a thing_

Haruhi took his hand and allowed him to help her up. He wrapped his arm around her waist and entwined his free hand with hers, pulling her into his tall frame. She couldn't remove the dark blush staining her cheeks but smiled to herself as she allowed him to dance with her.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
__There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me  
__The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
__You say it best when you say nothing at all_

His movements were graceful and experienced, as if he's been dancing to this song since the beginning of time. Haruhi found it easy to dance to his steps, considering she was always told she had two left feet when it came to dancing (not to forget to mention that her two left feet appeared when she first met the Host Club in the Third Music Room.)

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud  
__But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd  
__Old Mr. Webster could never define  
__What's being said between your heart and mine_

The only things that Haruhi could hear was her own breathing and his, matched evenly. The random chattering of the lingering couples and families were gone—it was as if she was caught in a world that only consisted of her and Kyouya.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
__There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me  
__The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
__You say it best when you say nothing at all_

Haruhi felt slightly concerned as she dwelled upon their situation—what was this feeling that was materializing in her stomach? Something sweet, yet slightly melancholy, like a dream.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
__There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me  
__The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
__You say it best when you say nothing at all_

She snapped out of her thoughts as Kyouya twirled her around and dipped her deeply. Her eyes widened and she burst out laughing as he brought her back up to a standing position once more. Their eyes met and Haruhi felt her laugh fade away as he gave her a single, sincere smile that couldn't have lasted more than a second before he leaned down, his face only centimeters from her own. Haruhi allowed her eyes to close before…

"LOOK, IT'S HARUHI!" Two familiar voices called out to them. "AND KYOUYA-SENPAI!"

Haruhi only felt a bit disappointed when Kyouya pulled away, putting at least an arm's length of distance between them. She sighed and turned towards the voices to find two redheads sprinting towards them.

"Kaoru? Hikaru?"

--

**Author's Note:** MUWAHHAHA! CLIFFHANGER...kind of. xD

I'm so sorry that this chapter was late (I know...if I was a real writer, I would never make the deadlines on time and my editor would be planning my ultimate death right now) but Nya-san got me into neopets again and...well, those of you who has played neopets before know how addicting it is, right? xP (AND FFNET WOULDN'T LET ME UPLOAD THE DOCUMENT! STUPID STUPID STUPID!)

...but also, it's thanks to Nya-san that I actually got this chapter out, instead of completely giving up on this fic.

- "Ootori-sama" translates to "Master Ootori." The prefix -sama is addressed to those above someone else. (Like a servant to a king)  
- "Kyouya-senpai" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "omiai" is a formal date between an eligible man and woman with the intention of marriage.  
- "Haruhi-chan!" The prefix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for: **the sake of writing (and because I like fluff...LOTS and LOTS of KyouxHaru fluff 3)  
**Dedicated to:** FRoP Fandubs (I know...FRoP subs, dubs, and much more...they're so talented xD)  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there /  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...if I did, I would've died and gone to heaven xP

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Five**:

Kyouya cursed at the twins when they called out her name; although, he couldn't help but feel a bit thankful for their timing. What the hell was he doing, wanting to kiss her? If they truly kissed, where would they go then? Would they be dating? Or was it _just_ a kiss? With Haruhi, he wasn't quite sure what would come after an innocent kiss.

"Kaoru? Hikaru?" Haruhi asked, looking not at all surprised.

"What are you two doing here?" Kaoru asked they reached them, panting heavily. "I didn't expect you two to be here at a public park."

"We could say the same for you," Haruhi spoke. "What are you two here for?"

"Tono called us up this morning and demanded that we wake up and join him and his fiancée for brunch," Hikaru replied with a sigh.

"Eh? Really?" Haruhi smiled. "And what about Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai?"

"They're getting ice cream from the vendor," Kaoru pointed in their direction. Kyouya could make out Hunny's short stature and Mori's towering one next to a smiling man, handing out ice cream cones. He never could understand Hunny's obsessive nature about his sweets—not to mention that the past loli-shota host was still as cute as ever in his twenties.

"IT'S KYOU-CHAN AND HARU-CHAN!" Hunny's high-pitched voice carried over to them.

Kyouya retreated a bit as the bunny-loving boy and the silent man reunited with Haruhi with warmth and smiles and an explosion of questions (on Hunny's part, of course.) He caught sight of Tamaki and his fiancée (whose name he could not recall) walking in their direction and felt only a _bit_ irritated that their date—no, their appointment—was ruined by the presence of others.

The passing of dark clouds mirrored his mood quite accurately.

As they all chattered with (and harassed) Haruhi, Kyouya seated himself underneath a nearby tree and watched indolently. It was strange, he had to admit to himself; he's never felt so idle before. He was always busy doing something, whether it was keeping track of all the finances of the Host Club or taking down notes for future reference or working himself to death, trying to surpass his brothers. But he sat here now, nothing at hand, and his mind calm for once. Of course, he was still feeling irritated, but he could easily suppress that.

He was changing, he knew. Or perhaps he had already changed before meeting up with Haruhi again? It wasn't in his nature to beat one of Haruhi's admirers with a punch—he was never a very physical person. If it had been the "Shadow King" of the Host Club days, he would've threatened the boy, done extensive research on him, and blackmailed him or something of the sort, but instead, he did what Tamaki would have done: punched his lights out. Was it Haruhi who invoked that protective nature that is, supposedly, in every man's personality? Or was it some other reason that he cannot yet define?

He frowned only slightly at his thoughts.

"Kyouya! You haven't met my fiancée yet, have you?" Tamaki's boisterous voice reached his ears and he glanced over at the group, replacing the mask of the Shadow King that everyone knew so well.

"Hello," The girl smiled at him amiably. "I'm Komatsu Akiko."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Kyouya stood and greeted her properly. "I am Ootori Kyouya."

"Come join us for brunch!" Tamaki was saying to the others.

"Are you accompanying us as well, Ootori-san?" Akiko asked him in her rather gentle voice.

Kyouya glanced over at Haruhi and their eyes met. Haruhi's eyes widened a bit before smiling and rejecting Tamaki's warm invitation with a: "Oh, no…I have plans later. I'm sorry."

A warm feeling could be felt inside his chest and he looked away from Haruhi to the still-smiling Akiko. Akiko was common with long, black hair and large, brown eyes with a gentle sparkle within its chocolate depths, but somehow, she lacked something. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but she was nothing like Haruhi.

_Why am I comparing her to Haruhi?_ Kyouya wondered, glancing over at the slightly irritated Haruhi who was trying to pull a weeping Tamaki off her leg. _That's right; she's the only commoner I know._

"I regretfully decline your invitation," Kyouya replied to Akiko's question. "I have some things to attend to today."

"I see," Akiko looked truly disappointed. "I hope to get to know you more later on, I suppose."

"AKIKO! It's time for brunch!" Tamaki called out gaily. "And you guys are coming with us!"

Kyouya watched as Tamaki herded up the rest of them and ushered them into the waiting limo outside of the gates.

"It's lunchtime already, tono!" was the last thing that could be heard before they were whisked into the limo and driving away at top speed

"Shall we go?" He heard Haruhi say from behind him.

He turned and met her expectant gaze before offering a small smile, not wanting to admit just how happy he felt to be standing next to her without anybody else. It was just him and Haruhi and he felt relaxed and strangely at ease.

As they walked out of the park slowly (they weren't in a hurry after all), Kyouya recalled the day he spent with Haruhi at the commoner's mall. The only reason he had ended up there was due to Tamaki's meddling, but for once, Kyouya could say that it had been a rather good day. Haruhi was certainly perceptive that day but…

Kyouya caught sight of a group of teenage boys, skating around on skateboards wildly in their direction. One of the boys wasn't paying attention and fell off the skateboard, sending it flying through the air. Through instinct, he wrapped an arm around Haruhi's waist, pulling her into his body just as a skateboard flew through the air and landed right where Haruhi was previously standing.

"SORRY!" The boy yelled out at them as he ran after the disappearing skateboard.

Kyouya shook his head at the commoner. If he had done that when he was younger, he surely would have been scolded harshly for the lack of manners and grace.

"K-Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi murmured beneath his chin.

"My apologies," Kyouya quickly let her go, feeling slightly discomfited. "That was inappropriate of me."

"No, no," Haruhi shook her head. "I meant to say thank you."

Kyouya gave a small chuckle. Of course Haruhi meant to say thank you. She was not the type to get flustered over am embrace, especially if it was not an intimate embrace and was meant to protect her.

He continued to walk, not seeing the small, light blush that crept over Haruhi's cheeks.

With the weather slowly darkening because of clouds overhead, the temperature cooled and the breeze turned a little less than playful, Kyouya took a deep breath of the faint rain-scented air. He had always liked rain; whenever it rained, he didn't feel the loneliness of being rich.

"Where would you like to dine, Haruhi?" He asked her, glancing at her.

He raised an eyebrow as Haruhi stopped in her tracks as if frozen. In the distance, he heard the loud rumble of thunder and he turned to Haruhi once more. She looked as if she was a child scared witless after watching their first horror movie.

_This is a problem,_ he thought to himself.

"Come along," Kyouya held out his hand to her for the second time that day.

"Eh?" Haruhi managed to utter before freezing up once more.

"Come along," He repeated evenly.

After giving him a nervous glance, Haruhi hesitantly took his hand and he felt her hand shake as the low rumble of thunder came closer. He closed his fingers over hers and began to walk out of the park and back to Haruhi's apartment complex where his black car still sat, all the while giving her intermittent glances to make sure that she was okay.

By the time they reached her apartment, rain was already descending heavily and the sound of thunder was beginning to strengthen. Haruhi could barely pull out her keys at this point and Kyouya quickly seized her keys. He sensed her fear increase as a flash of lightning lit up the dark corridor and she slid to the floor. He deftly opened the door and picked up her shaking figure.

When he had lifted her from the ground, Haruhi immediately pressed her face into his shoulder, hands clutching at his jacket shakily. Kyouya glanced down at her with an emotionless expression before entering the apartment and ungracefully kicking off his shoes. He continued to the couch on his right and began to place her down on it but found that she wouldn't let him go, as if he was her lifesaver during a storm out at sea and letting him go would only mean death. Sighing, he lifted her back up and proceeded to shut every window, close each and every one of the cotton blinds, and turn on every light in the apartment.

It took a while because every time the thunder sounded, Haruhi would tighten her grip on his turtleneck and holding a frightened girl and closing the blinds at the same time was difficult. When he was finished, he returned to the couch and sat down. He glimpsed over at Haruhi, who had her eyes closed tightly.

A flash of lightening and a boom of thunder, Haruhi whimpered, burying her face at the crook of his neck, seeking solace.

Kyouya shrugged off his jacket with a bit of difficulty so that he could place the jacket over her shoulders. Her shoulders were thin—has she been eating properly? Was she taking care of herself well?

As he held her, Kyouya realized just how feminine she was. There was no doubt she was like this in high school but Kyouya never really took the time to observe her—to _really_ observe the enigmatic Fujioka Haruhi.

That night in his bedroom at the beach was as close as they had physically gotten and even then, he never truly noticed just how small she was. He remembered her thin wrists as he held her down on the bed but as a man controlling teenage hormones (whether he was attracted to her or not) that was as far as he noticed. Now that he actually held her in his arms, he began to see things he never saw before, and felt emotions that he wasn't even aware he had to begin with.

Another crash of thunder and Haruhi literally jumped in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her gently and with a hand, pressed her head down on his shoulder.

"Don't listen to it," He said quietly.

Haruhi didn't reply and he didn't expect one from her, especially not in her condition. Instead, he relaxed his body and leaned back into the softness of the commoner couch. The material of the couch was horrible, but somehow, he found that it was the least of his worries. He actually felt comfortable in his seat, but he wasn't sure whether it was the seat itself that was comfortable or whether it was because he was holding Haruhi in his arms.

She stiffened as another crash of lightning could be heard. Kyouya idly ran a hand through her hair to calm her down, and noted the silkiness and luster of her hair. After a moment's thinking, he knew now that Haruhi was changing him.

Ootori Kyouya was best known for his manipulative nature, but now…he felt as if he could no longer manipulate anyone, nor had he any reason to. However, Ootori Kyouya without his calculating nature was no longer Ootori Kyouya, but a stranger. He knew he could still pull back and resume his nature through hard work and concentration, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. And that was going to be his downfall, wasn't it?

--

**Author's Note:** NOW THEN! I didn't expect to get chapter five out so quickly. I was estimating another week or so (because school is starting for me in two days --) but look! It's out! I'm so proud of myself. This chapter was based solely on fluff and I'm so sorry if Kyouya and Haruhi seemed OOC, but I can't help it. I LIKE FLUFF BETWEEN THESE TWO! And fluff between these two mean OOC. I hope you all liked the fluff though xD

- "loli-shota" -- "loli" is the abbreviation of "lolita" which is a style similar to those of Victorian porcelain dolls. "shota" are those who designates a complex for young boys (0-17 years old.) In Ouran, it is used as someone who is extremely cute and looks younger than their age.  
- "Komatsu Akiko" This is written in the Japanese form. Last name and then first name.  
- "Ootori-san" The prefix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Kyouya-senpai" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "He remembered her thin wrists as he held her down on the bed" This is refering to the MANGA (volume 3, pages 52 and 53) and not the anime. In the manga, he holds her arms down and in the anime, he doesn't.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** well, I have to finish this story or else my readers will be upset and upset readers are scary.  
**Dedicated to:** all of my fans (that is, if I have any?) because your reviews and support really got me to prolong this fanfic -laugh-  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there (and hopefully I improve, ne, mercy-angel-09-san?)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...and they're not mine. So call: 1-800-disclaimer if you have a problem and you may have a nice long chat with my attorney.

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

Haruhi opened her eyes with much difficulty. She felt much too comfortable to wake up, but she knew that she should. It must be morning now and class would be starting soon, not to mention she had to make breakfast, shower, and look over her finished essays, but of course that won't take up much time—so that meant that she could sleep just a little more.

She unconsciously snuggled deeper into her pillo—wait a minute. This doesn't feel like her pillow at all. In fact, now that she thought about it, she doesn't even remember going to bed last night…

Her eyes snapped open before she was forced to close them again due to the brightness of the room. She still had her eyes closed when she felt something tighten around her body and a low groan before silence filled the room again. She glanced up cautiously, eyes adjusting to the bright room and slowly, they widened in surprise as they took in Ootori Kyouya's content sleeping face.

Suddenly, Haruhi remembered the thunderstorm last night and felt grateful that Kyouya had kept her company (in her commoner home, no less.) She glanced down and found that his right arm was wrapped securely around her waist and the other was…

She couldn't help but blush at their awkward position. Their fingers were entwined with each other's and as she observed their hands, she realized that his hand was graceful and flawless. His hand was soft—of _course_ they would be soft! A rich boy like him couldn't have done any hard labor in his entire existence!—and they were comforting. His hand tightened around hers momentarily as he shifted lightly, still engulfed in sleep.

Haruhi carefully slipped her hand out of his and reached up to pull off his glasses. She had never really seen him without his glasses before (except that night at the beach but it had been dark in his room) and realized that he really was good-looking, especially up-close. His face usually held an intense look, but when he slept, there was a touch of innocence.

Glancing over at the clock on the wall, she decided it was about time to get breakfast ready since she had another mouth to feed. She attempted to pull out of Kyouya's grip but only earned a low, sleepy growl from the dark-haired man.

"Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said in a low voice. "Wake up, Kyouya-senpai."

He only shifted, but remained asleep.

_How troublesome,_ Haruhi thought, taking another quick glance at the clock once more. _I'm going to be late for class at this rate._

She carefully removed the arm that was planted firmly around her waist with a bit of trouble but after a few moments of struggling, Haruhi freed herself. As she stood, the jacket that had been placed over her shoulders slipped into an ungraceful pile on the floor. Quietly picking it up and slinging it over the back of the couch, she glanced at Kyouya once more and found that he looked a little lonesome, if not entirely.

Ootori Kyouya was always a mystery to her with those intense onyx eyes and his cunning way of gaining the maximum profits, but she (somehow or other) knew that he was a lonely man. He stood alone, even at the Host Club when he was surrounded by friends and now he resided in the business world, he was more alone than ever.

Haruhi couldn't help feel a bit sorry for him as she set down his glasses and headed to the linen closet to grab a blanket. She had always been alone, yes, but never had she felt lonely. She was constantly loved by her father and was usually always bothered by somebody when she didn't want to be bothered. Their situations were similar but…Kyouya gave the impression that he had never been loved before in his life.

Letting out a sigh, she carefully placed the blanket over Kyouya's sleeping body and stood to admire him just a little. One way or another, he seemed right at home on a commoner's couch.

She gave a little laugh at that thought and began to make breakfast. It wasn't as extravagant as the breakfasts that he probably had every morning, but it was definitely better than going on an empty stomach until lunch.

As she finished cooking, she glanced up at the clock, quickly calculating the amount of time she had left before she had to leave. Kyouya was still sleeping, and she still needed to shower and change (since she didn't do so the night before.)

_Oh well,_ Haruhi thought, pulling off her apron and heading towards her bathroom. _Kyouya-senpai wouldn't wake up this early anyway._

That day was approaching and even though she went to visit every year, her heart was always filled with heaviness. She dreaded that day of every year, the day she had to learn to be independent and alone. Her father had told her multiple times that going to her mother's grave with a heavy heart would only make her mother sad in heaven, but Haruhi couldn't help herself from feeling this way. It wasn't as if she didn't want to visit her mother, but it was because her mother would never possess the opportunity to watch her grow up—something that her mother mentioned every day before she tucked her in at night—and that made her heart lurch terribly.

Haruhi sighed, running a hand through her brown hair before inspecting the grown locks.

_I should cut it soon,_ Haruhi made a mental note in her head as she slipped on a bathrobe after her shower. _It's getting a bit too long._

She still maintained her 'I-really-don't-care-how-I-look' attire because they were comfortable and easy to "slip on and go." Taking extra time in the bathroom was unnecessary and it gave her more time to do other things that were far more important than keeping up with the latest fashions and cosmetics. In other words, she hasn't really changed, but that didn't bother her at all. Consistency in her life was precious (a lesson learned from a certain club she was forced to join years ago) and she attempted to preserve that as well.

"Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said, dressed and just about ready to start on breakfast. She shook him lightly. "Kyouya-senpai,"

Haruhi watched as Kyouya's eyes slowly began to open.

"Eh?" He grunted, looking not quite awake.

"Good morning," Haruhi offered him a smile.

She expected him to shoot her a snide comment (due to the rumors at Ouran that the Shadow King had very low blood pressure in the mornings) but instead she was offered a rather calculating look.

"Did you sleep well?" He finally asked her, his dark eyes holding hers intensely.

"Um…yes," Haruhi answered, quizzical of his question.

Were the rumors false after all?

"Good," He stated rather bluntly. "Then let me sleep."

Haruhi raised an eyebrow as he resettled down into the couch, pulling the blanket over his shoulders.

"Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi mustered her courage (after all, he was still the Shadow King) to shake him awake. "Will you please wake up?"

Kyouya seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep and Haruhi gave up after a few moments of attempting to wake him. There was no point in having the demon inside of Kyouya emerge right before it was time for her to leave.

Quickly scrawling down what she wanted him to know, she placed the note under his glasses and covered the food on the table. She grabbed a Danish roll from the counter and gave him one last look before leaving the apartment, locking it securely. There was no worry in leaving him in her home—it wasn't as if he needed babysitting. She knew very well that he was capable of taking care of himself even in a world he didn't understand and that was enough for her to trust him.

--

When Kyouya felt that it was about time he should get out of bed, he realized that he was in an unfamiliar place, sleeping on a very uncomfortable couch. As he waited for the sleep to leave his eyes completely, he began to remember what had happened the night before and why he had ended up sleeping on Haruhi's couch.

He gave a slight groan as he sat up, his eyes observing the room. He didn't have time the night before to get a nice look at Haruhi's home, but as he glanced around now, he found that there was nothing much to see. The apartment suit her—simple, small, but comfortable. There was just enough furniture for a few guests and herself. There were few trinkets in the house besides a few photographs adorning polished wooden surfaces.

His eyes caught sight of a white piece of paper on the table and reached for it. He placed on his glasses and read her note. It was short and straightforward—as he had expected. He didn't know what to do with her.

Kyouya stood, glancing at the clock and taking the note's message into consideration before letting out a silent sigh. He'll have to turn down her offer today. Good thing he decided to wake up when he did or else he was going to miss a very important appointment. He folded the blanket neatly (who said rich boys couldn't take care of themselves?) and picked up his jacket. After a moment's hesitation, he searched his pockets for a pen and wrote a short note to Haruhi on the back of her own note.

He had slipped on his leather shoes and was prepared to leave before the calendar hanging on the wall next to the door caught his eye. The next day's date had been circled and small words that were written in her neat handwriting could be read. The event somehow irked him and caused him to think ridiculous thoughts.

_Damn it, I don't have time for this_, Kyouya thought to himself as he let himself out of her apartment, locking her door with the extra key and pocketing it. He'll just have to return her key tomorrow.

Haruhi's neat handwriting written on the calendar irritated him the entire day, causing him to almost lose his concentration during one of his meetings. By the end of the day, he was so irritated that he had nearly shouted for one of his nagging business associates to "please shut the hell up" but managed to stop at "please" and ended with "give me some time to think about it."

Unable to ignore the irritation (and the desire to see Haruhi under these circumstances, although he wouldn't care to admit that to himself) building up in his chest, he left his office quite a bit earlier than he usually did—shocking his secretary into a mild heart attack—and drove down to the café where he knew that Haruhi was currently working.

Kyouya entered the café almost casually and his eyes almost immediately sought out the petite woman who had not left his mind the entire day. She was quite easy to spot through the tidal pool of commoners. Where they were dull, she was brilliant; where they were lifeless, she was vibrant. Anyone could seek her out in a crowd, wasn't that right?

"Just one person, I presume?" A nearby waitress questioned him.

He only gave a curt nod—there was no need to be kind and courteous to commoners. He had been taught that those with lineage were worth far more than the common type. Riches and a well-feared name were only results of that; therefore, he was above them and will _stay_ above them.

When he had seated and given his order, he watched the crowds idly, his mind still on the small note Haruhi made on her calendar and wondering why the hell he had decided to come see her in the first place.

"Your coffee," The waitress returned, placing the cup in front of him.

He took a dignified sip and returned to observing the commoner world, his mind wondering how he was going to explain himself for showing up at a commoner cafe without a valid reason.

"Kyouya-senpai?"

Kyouya glanced up as he heard her voice and gave a smirk at her shock. She always was pretty cute when he managed to throw Haruhi's stable mental state into disarray.

"Haruhi," He replied casually.

"What are you doing here?" Haruhi asked.

"Haruhi! We need you at table five!" A voice called from across the café.

"Ah, hai!" Haruhi replied quickly before turning back to him. "Excuse me, Kyouya-senpai."

He watched as she bowed quickly and rushed to table five where a commoner toddler was bawling shamelessly. Why was it that he could never pin down his feelings when Haruhi was in the picture? Every thought, every movement, revolved around Fujioka Haruhi and he was at a loss.

Her movements were effortless to memorize, her face was unproblematic to visualize, her intelligence was painless to recall, and her essence was not easily erased. It was the way she smiled, the light scent that could only be identified as her own, that stuck to him like glue. She was a strong woman, but that only made him understand that underneath that armor sat a girl, frightened of thunderstorms and…

"Did you need something, Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi returned and stood next to him.

"Haruhi," He started, looking up at her. "Will you accompany me somewhere tomorrow?"

"Gomen nasai," Haruhi answered almost immediately. "I have somewhere to be that day."

"I know," He stated, never removing his gaze from her face. "Will you accompany me there, Haruhi?"

Haruhi was silent and he took it that she did not understand his question.

"Allow me to rephrase that," Kyouya sighed, placing his cup of cooling coffee back down on the tabletop. "May I accompany you to your mother's grave tomorrow?"

When Haruhi remained quiet, he felt a rather melancholy feeling coming from her. Yes, he knew this feeling—it was the sad aura that surrounded her at very rare times and he was quite sure that he had been the only Host Club member years ago that noticed the random moments of sadness erupting from their beloved "natural rookie."

"If you prefer to go alone—," He began, standing up from his seat.

"No," Haruhi said quietly, interrupting him suddenly. "I—would like that, Kyouya-senpai."

Kyouya's eyes softened at the tone of her voice and, without thinking, he reached over to her and placed a hand at her cheek.

"I'll pick you up at ten tomorrow morning then," He murmured into her ear. "Be ready by then."

--

**Author's Note:** Now that school has started, updates will be really fast. (HAHA...I wish.) In fact, it's senior year for me, so I REALLY have to concentrate this year. I pray that updates won't take weeks, but maybe a week or two (maybe three if I'm packed.) Please be patient--I'm not happy about it either. I'd rather sit at home all day and write fanfiction than sitting at school taking notes about stuff-I-really-don't-need-to-know. -o-" AND SORRY! This chapter wasn't very fluffy. The next one will though! (With more appearances made by the rest of the Host Club -tapes mouth shut-)

ALSO...there is an anime convention where I live right now, so don't expect quick updates (especially with the amount of homework I'm procrastinating on...) but hopefully, I can get them out soon. x3

- "Kyouya-senpai" The prefix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "Ah, hai!" is equivalent to "Okay!" or "Yes!"  
- "Gomen nasai" means "I'm sorry"

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** boredom. I DON'T WANNA DO MY HOMEWORK!  
**Dedicated to:** GoGothGirl...because I love her fanfic "Little Host"...so whenever you get bored of "Kimi no Koe", go on over and read her fic! x3 and also, to my big-time supporter, Nya-nya because she needs a lot of love in her life!  
**Warning: **Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there! (And I really suck at tenses! If someone tells me about another tense problem, I will find a BETA reader immediately.)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...and they're not mine. I can whine, and cry, and scream, and complain, but it will never be. -tears- Also, I got a lot of help from Nya-nya, so...THANK YOU (heart)

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Seven: **

Haruhi was lying in her bed, staring up at the ceiling blankly, her mind somewhere else. She wasn't quite sure about what she was thinking about, but it was either about her next assignment or the fact that she was going to visit her mother today…with Ootori Kyouya.

When he had asked to accompany her, she didn't exactly know what to say. In fact, she didn't expect him to even be at her workplace at that time of day, nevertheless ask her whether he could visit her mother with her or not. And when he stood up to leave, a small panic appeared in her chest and she answered 'yes' without quite thinking about their current situation.

She had been seeing much too much of him and it wasn't as if she didn't enjoy his company, but it was _because_ she enjoyed it that caused her to worry. There were times where her mind would wander during class and every single time she caught herself, she had been thinking about him. She didn't remotely want to think about him—it was just that her mind went immediately in his direction every time it frolicked off-course.

"There's no point in thinking about it," Haruhi sighed. "I'll just have to concentrate more on my studies."

Her classes started later today—an hour and a half after noon, which meant she had time to go visit her mother, eat lunch, and be in class in time for the lecture. That is…if there was nothing that would get in the way of her plans.

Haruhi sat up and stretched, her eyes drifting to the small ray of light that had slipped in through her cotton curtains. She stood and headed to the window and opened it, welcoming the sunlight that greeted her after she did so. Even though the sunlight looked warm and comforting, when Haruhi opened the window, a cool breeze stung her face, waking her up immediately. She made a mental note to dress warmly before closing the window, shivering lightly in her thin pajamas.

It was approximately nine when she had finished breakfast. With nothing else to do for the next hour, she settled down at her desk and began to read out of her Law textbook. During this time, her mind began to wander off again, but Haruhi didn't bother to steer it back on course and allowed it to run rampant over her thoughts of the potential heir of the Ootori Corporation.

She had never expected herself to become so attached to him—perhaps 'attached' was the wrong word in their situation. She was still independent; she didn't need to see him every day to feel secure. But even so, his presence was certainly calming and reassuring and it only made her feel even more intrigued by him.

Why was he the one who captured her attention? Yes, he was certainly the most mysterious one of all of the Host Club members but she had never cared before, has she?

Haruhi glanced out of the window and watched as the wind grew stronger, leaves ripping from their places on the branches and scattering throughout the city. It was most likely a very cold day, but the weather wasn't of much importance to her.

The doorbell rang and Haruhi closed her unread Law book with a sigh. Her mind had been a bit too idle as of late—she'll have to discipline it soon or else she won't pass her exams with a satisfactory grade. She walked to the door and as she reached for it, the door unlocked by itself and the person behind it opened it.

"Good morning, Kyouya-senpai," Haruhi said, slightly shocked that he had the key to her apartment.

"I believe this is yours," Kyouya said, holding out her spare key. "I did not have the time to return it to you yesterday."

"Thank you," Haruhi said, slipping the extra key into her coat pocket. She turned and grabbed the scarf from the closet and wound it around her neck.

"Shall we go?" Kyouya offered her a grim smile.

"Yes," Haruhi answered, grabbing an extra scarf—just in case the weather turned worse—as he turned to leave.

As they silently walked down to his black car, Haruhi observed him silently. He walked in even and graceful strides. Dark locks of hair occasionally fell into his eyes but he ignored it and continued to walk. Straightforward, silent, but caring; Haruhi had to give a small chuckle. Ootori Kyouya was quite horrible at hiding his true self, but had managed to deceive those who work around him. Were they blind? Or were they simply so indifferent to him that they missed all of Kyouya's significance?

Haruhi settled in his car and watched the people pass by in colorful blurs as Kyouya drove in the direction of the florist and her mother's cemetery. All of this felt like a dream, a blurry dream, really. It was one of those dreams when she could fuzzily recall events but the more she tried to remember, the more the image fades until she was left with only the emotions she felt during that dream. And right now she felt content and warm and, in her own way, loved.

"We're here," Kyouya spoke up quietly, shutting off the engine of his car. "Did you want me to come with you to buy the flowers?"

"No," Haruhi said, offering him a smile. "I'll be back in a minute."

Kyouya nodded and she left the warm car, her eyes resting on the flowers she wished to purchase for her mother.

"May I please buy a bouquet of these?" Haruhi gestured towards the fresh smelling flowers that nodded in the cold breeze almost grievingly.

"Of course," The florist smiled at her.

Haruhi waited patiently as the florist quickly wrapped up the white flowers in pretty paper. She then paid for the bouquet and stepped back outside where Kyouya was waiting.

"Are you ready then?" Kyouya asked her as she buckled in.

"Yes," Haruhi nodded, clutching the flowers gently to her chest.

The ride was, again, shrouded in comfortable silence before Kyouya spoke up, "Haruhi,"

"Yes?" Haruhi answered, gazing up at his elegant face.

"Do you know what the Narcissus means?"

Haruhi was slightly shocked at his question. It certainly wasn't a Kyouya-type question and it sounded as if the silent Shadow King was attempting to make conversation with her.

"No," Haruhi shook her head. "Otou-san and I always brought Okaa-san Narcissuses because they were her favorite flowers."

Haruhi glanced up at him again and found a small, rather knowing, smile on his usually passive face and found her clutching the flowers a little tighter than before.

"They mean 'desire'," Kyouya spoke as he braked at a red light. He turned to look at her with mystery-clouded eyes. "Or 'returned affections' and 'sympathy',"

Haruhi lowered her gaze from his eyes and down to the flowers nestled in her arms. She smiled nostalgically at those flowers, closing her eyes to shut down most of her senses. This was her mother's scent—warm, inviting, loving, and accepting. Her mother was such a gentle woman, beautiful, witty and caring. All of those years that had passed after her mother left them should have made her stronger but just thinking about her mother made her feel as if she wanted to cry, even at her age.

The car stopped and Haruhi opened her eyes and found herself staring at the graveyard where her mother lay in peace. She took a deep breath to calm herself and steadied her hand as she reached over to open the door, although the door opened by itself just before she reached for the handle. She glanced up and found Ootori Kyouya looking down at her passively, his dark eyes hidden behind the protection of his glasses.

_I should have worn mine,_ Haruhi thought to herself as she smiled at his kind gesture and stepped out of his European car with a bit more vigor and determination.

They wove through the many paths of the graveyard, passing a few families who had also decided to come visit their departed family members. Haruhi felt her heart wrench at the sight of a young woman, kneeling alone before a gravestone, crying silently, her body shaking with suppressed sobs.

She felt on the verge of breaking down, her heart reaching out to the young woman before a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Leave her be," Kyouya said in his monotone voice and said nothing more.

Haruhi nodded and continued to lead him to where her mother lay without looking back at the poor woman who was grieving alone, with no one to support her and her overbearing sadness.

When they reached her mother's grave, Haruhi felt slightly better and thankful that Kyouya was there with her. In all of the previous years, Haruhi had come with her father and all those years, she concealed her need to cry and bawl at her loss. Her mother had always wished to watch Haruhi grow but now, she did not have that opportunity and it must have made her mother cry up in heaven.

The grave was clean (her father was probably there earlier this morning to clean it since he had stated apologetically that he could not come with her this year due to his job) and a single Narcissus lay at the foot of the grave. Haruhi bit back tears as she slowly bent to place down the bouquet next to the single flower and when she straightened up again, her vision was blurred and she could no longer read the words on her mother's grave.

"Okaa-san," Haruhi murmured, her voice shaking lightly. She clenched her fists tightly to keep herself from shedding any tears. Those tears would only make her mother even unhappier in heaven.

Suddenly, a hand reached for her own and loosened the fist before entwining her fingers with theirs. Haruhi glanced down at their hands and realized that Kyouya had given it a comforting squeeze.

"It's okay to cry," He murmured, keeping his eyes on Kotoko's grave. "Your mother would be upset if you keep suffering alone."

Haruhi's eyes widened at his comment before she answered quietly, "You're right."

The tears she attempted to hold back made their way down her cheeks and she shut her eyes, accepting her sorrow. It's been years since she cried about her mother and to finally release all of those pent-up emotions were a blessing to her worn-out heart.

If she wasn't surprised when Kyouya took her hand to comfort her, she was now _very_ surprised when he pulled her into his body and embraced her tightly. He didn't say a word but Haruhi somehow felt that she understood him and only continued to cry into his chest silently.

When she had finally calmed down, tired from her crying, she pulled away slightly. She couldn't tell him just how grateful she was of his presence, that presence that fascinated her and entranced her. However, before she could completely pull away, Kyouya's embrace tightened and she was pulled once again into his chest.

"You're not alone, Haruhi," He murmured into her hair, brushing away the lingering tears on her cheeks.

Hearing his words only made tears well up in her eyes once more, except this time in happiness.

"Thank you, Kyouya," She smiled into his black trenchcoat when he nuzzled her hair at the removal of the label on his name.

"Kyouya-kun, what are you doing he—?"

At the sound of her father's flirty voice, Haruhi pulled away from Kyouya to greet him. He was wearing flashy clothes as usual with a professional amount of make-up.

"Haruhi?" Ranka stopped in his tracks.

"Otou-san," Haruhi smiled brightly.

"Were you crying, Haruhi?" Ranka's voice deepened for a moment, his eyes softening.

"Yes," Haruhi smiled. "But—,"

"Kyouya-kun," Ranka's protective aura burst out as he said this, his eyes glaring at the indifferent man behind her with malice. "What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Daughter?"

"Ranka-san," Kyouya began.

"HOW DARE YOU MAKE MY DAUGHTER CRY?" Another voice that was frighteningly familiar interrupted him.

Haruhi glanced past her father and found the rest of the Host Club running in their direction with Tamaki's fiancée close behind.

"What are you all doing here?" Haruhi asked, feeling slightly irritated at the sight of them. Her plans for returning before her lecture started were definitely going to be ruined.

"We came to visit Haru-chan's mother, of course!" Hunny spoke up with a bright smile.

"Yes," Mori gave a single nod.

"What are you doing here with Kyouya-senpai?" Hikaru asked her with a hint of annoyance.

"Why don't we pay our respects first and then go out for lunch?" Akiko said in her usual gentle voice.

"Yes, darling! Of course!" Tamaki exclaimed heartily.

Haruhi and Kyouya stepped back and watched as the entire group paid their respects to her mother. She glanced up at him and found that he looked oddly uncomfortable. Reaching into the large pocket of her jacket, she pulled out her extra scarf and placed it over his head and wound it around his neck. Due to her short height, he bent down a bit and she pulled him down closer to her and whispered, "I'm sorry" into his ear, tucking the scarf around his neck securely.

"Don't be," He murmured when she was finished. "And thank you."

Haruhi smiled brightly at him and closed her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her. This time, they weren't interrupted and Haruhi couldn't help but feel that this feeling materializing in her chest was something deeper than affection. She'll just figure that out later. Right now, this beautiful world consisted only of her and Ootori Kyouya.

--

**Author's Note:** Okay, I JUST realized this seven chapters into the story. All of my footnotes have a nice error in it because when I explain "-senpai" or "-san" (etc) I put down prefix, but in reality, it's SUFFIX. I apologize deeply for my error...apparently, I need to retake 9th grade English. -sweatdrop- However, from now on, I will use "suffix" instead of "prefix" -smashes self on head with a skillet-

Also, I forgot to put "Chapter Six" at the top of the previous chapter. Oops. So sorry!

I didn't expect this to be out so fast either...because my calculus homework is sitting there, staring at me with begging eyes and I'm neglecting it. So after this chapter, I will do my calculus homework! (or write chapter 8...whichever catches my interest.)

- "Narcissus" is a pretty (and wonderfully fragranted) flower that is normally known as the daffodil. However, the Narcissus that I am referring to is the white colored one (with a yellow center) named the White Jonquil. Try wikipedia if interested. (I chose not to use 'daffodil' or 'white jonquil' because 'Narcissus' just sounded prettier.)  
- "Otou-san" means "father"  
- "Okaa-san" means "mother"  
- "Kyouya" When a prefix is removed from one's name, it usually means that the formality between two people is gone and that they are familiar with each other at a close level.  
- "Kentaro-kun," The suffix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
- "Haru-chan!" The suffix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** my beloved tono x3  
**Dedicated to:** Tamaki tono of the FRoP Forum. I love you, tono! Thank you so much for everything.  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there. I just really wanted to release this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...but if anyone can find anyone as remotely as sexy as Kyouya, please introduce him to me! xD

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

When Kyouya pulled away from Haruhi—their lips reluctantly unlocking—he had to admit to himself that he was quite shocked with himself. He had told himself before, hadn't he? That he wasn't going to fall in love with Fujioka Haruhi? But as he began to recall the past years in that Third Music Room up until this very moment, he realized that something had _grown_. The seed that had begun their relationship didn't start off sprouting romance or anything even remotely intimate, so how did they end up here? How did he end up to entranced by her very essence?

Haruhi offered him a gentle smile, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Kyouya turned away from her smile, feeling rather (was he feeling _shy_?) uncomfortable and found a group of silent, wide-eyed, and open-mouthed figures staring at them in disbelief. After that short period of shock, the various faces changed into a variety of expressions.

Suou Tamaki and Fujioka Ranka had a look of absolute horror on their faces.

Haninozuka Mitsukuni wore a look of complete happiness; a wide grin spreading throughout his cute face.

Morinozuka Takashi offered him a small smile and nod.

The future Suou Akiko was silent, looking completely tranquil and smiling gently.

Hitachiin Kaoru was completely ignoring their situation and looking in his brother's direction with an expression of worry. And speaking of his brother…

Kyouya felt slightly taken aback as his onyx eyes met angry amber ones, fire secretly burning behind them. Of course, Hitachiin Hikaru was still very much in love with Haruhi. If he had remembered correctly from the small talk that he and Haruhi had over their first dinner date, Hikaru was the one who e-mailed her the most out of them all while he was studying aboard (and completely cut himself off from Japan.)

Hitachiin Hikaru looked absolutely livid. In fact, if he hadn't been a master of indifference, he would have feared the redhead's wrath like any normal man would.

It was obvious that Hikaru possessed extremely strong feelings for Haruhi. It wasn't because of the anger directed at him, but the clenching of Hikaru's fists as Haruhi placed a hand on his arm, drawing his attention away from the angry twin.

However, as he gazed down at her, he couldn't help but smile gently. She had an air that made him want to protect her and her entire being. It was rare for him to want to protect somebody other than himself but it was a refreshing change and he embraced it with (hidden) open arms.

He pushed away a lock of her hair as the breeze playfully blew past, mussing her hair, his knuckles brushing over her skin lightly.

"Thank you," Haruhi smiled up at him. She turned and eyed the group critically, "And what are you all doing here?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WITH HIM, HARUHI?" Ranka and Tamaki exclaimed at the exact same time, pointing at him exaggeratedly.

Tamaki was then laying face-down on the ground milliseconds later, Akiko rushing to save him.

"Haruhi!" Ranka exclaimed, grabbing her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me about Kyouya-kun!"

"I didn't find any reason to do so," Haruhi stated bluntly. "But why are you here, otou-san? You told me that you were busy today."

Ranka gave a laugh and gestured towards the group of men (and Akiko) behind Kyouya.

"We were planning on getting together for quite a while," Ranka explained, flipping his long hair over his shoulder. "But it seemed all of our schedules clashed with each others' and today was the only day free for all of us. I was going to have you join us, Haruhi, but I know how sensitive you are on this particular day."

"But you were here already, weren't you?" Haruhi asked him. "The other Narcissus…"

"I was here early this morning," Ranka admitted. "But they insisted on visiting your mother and I simply could not deny their request."

Kyouya watched as Haruhi gave an exasperated sigh at her father's horrible time management capabilities. Although Kyouya was quite sure that the father and daughter standing in front of him haven't seen each other for exactly a year, the familiarity and bond between them seemed to have grown even stronger than before. But what exactly does that say about his _own_ family?

He hardly interacted with his father and talked even less with his brothers. The only family member he was never annoyed with was his sister, but she was married into the Shido family and therefore had nothing more to do with the Ootori name. As for his mother…

She had disappeared long before, so he couldn't remember even her scent or her smile. There was no image of her in his mind and though he knew he could easily find her with the resources he possessed, he didn't bother. Nothing would change if he found her and what would he gain from finding her? His father's irritation? He wasn't going to risk that—not now. Not when things have been progressing smoothly. He was not going to allow his hard work to go to waste.

"I think it's about time for lunch," Akiko announced, finishing up the bandaging of Tamaki's bruised head (courtesy of Ranka-san.) "Will you both be joining us?"

Kyouya raised an eyebrow as she smiled at Haruhi, keeping a careful eye on the sulking older Hitachiin twin. Akiko was a perspective person, he realized, but there was something missing from her gentle smile. Surely, something was troubling her, but it had nothing to do with him.

"Yes, join us! Join us! Join us!" Tamaki sparkled at them brightly and expectantly.

"Haru-chan! Come eat cake with us!" Hunny grinned at her cutely. "Kyou-chan too!"

"I really don't have the time to eat lunch with all of you," Haruhi stated, glancing at her watch. "I have class right after."

"But we haven't spent time with you in ages!" Kaoru argued, slinging a heavy arm around Hikaru's drooping shoulders. "Right, Hikaru?"

"Sure," Hikaru muttered, not bothering to say anything else.

After minutes of persuading Haruhi, she finally gave in with a delicate exhale of air. He admired her way of handling a large group of overexcited people (well, 'idiots' would be too strong of a word to describe them.)

When he first met her, he was quite sure that the boyish looking girl had absolutely no sense of femininity nor did she understand anything quite beyond her precious textbooks. But as he watched her, he felt something bind them together, or perhaps, he was bound to her. Yes, his eyes followed her up until the day he and Tamaki had graduated and then what happened? Why had he given up on her altogether?

_Because she was far from reach,_ his mind whispered quietly, _because she was perfect but that only created a barrier between the both of you. Perfection versus imperfection—someone as lowly as the third son of the Ootori family did not deserve her._

Kyouya shook the thought out of his head, grateful of the scarf that Haruhi had tied around his neck as the cool breeze strengthened.

"Let's eat!" Tamaki cheered, hooking his arm gaily in Akiko's, placing a chaste kiss at the top of her head. "We can all catch up with Haruhi and Ranka-san!"

Kyouya and Haruhi walked idly behind the loud chattering group, enjoying the bit of silence before they reached his car.

"Haruhi," Hikaru's voice spoke up. "Come ride with us in the limo."

Kyouya returned the heated glare impassively as Haruhi answered, "Thank you but I would prefer to ride with Kyouya."

He really couldn't help but smirk at Hikaru's rather shocked expression.

"We'll meet up with you at the restaurant then!" Kaoru hurriedly said with fake cheerfulness as he pulled Hikaru in the direction of Tamaki's limousine, which was conveniently parked the opposite of Kyouya's car.

They entered his car and he drove off to the destination that Tamaki had announced to practically half of the entire cemetery, the silence shared between him and Haruhi was refreshing after having to deal with constant noise and screeching made by their king.

After a while, they arrived at the restaurant only to be greeted by more noise.

Even though he hated to admit it, the day had passed by quickly and he enjoyed every moment of it simply because Haruhi was there. He did not join in on the festivities (not that he ever did when he was in the Host Club anyway) but watched Haruhi patiently deal with the twins and Tamaki with a bright smile. That alone made his day.

Hikaru offered to drive her home once their reunion was sadly over; however, Haruhi declined his invitation once again, glancing in his direction in secret. They said good-bye to the rest of them and he proceeded to drive her back to her apartment.

"Here," He handed her a folder.

"What is this?" Haruhi asked him, not bothering to open the folder.

"They're the notes that you were supposed to take in class today," He explained. "I had one of my servants take your notes for you."

"Thank you," Haruhi said after a long moment of silence. She glanced up at him through wide eyes. "When did you get the chance to…?"

While Haruhi, Akiko, and her father taught the Host Club how to play miniature golf, Kyouya had made a secret call to one of his servants, stating carefully to slip him the folder at the entrance of the miniature golf park.

"That's a secret," He spoke in his impassive voice.

"Would you like to come in?" Haruhi asked him, hugging the folder to her chest tightly.

"No, but thank you for the offer," He replied.

"All right," Haruhi smiled as she opened the door and let herself out, shutting the door behind her gently. "Good night."

He pulled away from the curb and began to drive away before suddenly feeling the urge just to catch one more glimpse of her and he turned back. Kyouya was surprised to find Haruhi still standing at the doors of her apartment complex, gazing in his direction. He parked and strolled up to her, their eyes holding each other's deeply. He caressed her cheek before he leaned down and took her lips gently with his.

"Good night," He murmured, pulling away. He placed a chaste kiss at her forehead and left her once more, this time resisting the urge to take up on her offer.

When he returned to his condo, there was a surprise waiting for him at his doorstep.

"Kyouya-senpai,"

He turned and found himself face-to-face with Hitachiin Hikaru, who seemed to be quaking with anger.

"Is there something I can do for you, Hikaru?" He asked, smirking lightly in the shadows.

"I'm not giving her up to you," Hikaru declared. "I'm going to be the one she gives her heart to!"

--

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the unnecessary delay of releasing this chapter on my part! For those of you who were not aware that I was co-writing a fanfic with WraithR249-san...you do now. And that story has been taking up most of my time besides studying and homework. So obviously, Kimi no Koe hasn't been updated at all, but after a few days of Invisible, I went on a Kimi no Koe withdrawal. (Yes, that meant I stopped paying attention in class and started writing the chapter on paper...)

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter--I had so much fun writing it! Although there may have been more OOCness as usual...-frowns- But that's okay. I like the fluff at the end! -fangirls-

- "Kyouya-kun," The suffix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
- "Otou-san" means "father"  
- "Ranka-san" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Haru-chan!" The suffix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** eto...PG. Nothing serious in this chapter.  
**Written for:** myself as therapy. I need to relieve some depression.  
**Dedicated to:** 'katkin's diet' this time. (Wow, for once I'm dedicating my fanfic to someone I actually know in person!) Thank you for always listening to me complain about my pathetic, useless problems when I'm in my 'emo' stage, kat! I love you lots and lots!  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...and...I WANT TO BELONG TO HATORI-SENSEI! TT She's brilliant! Screw owning Ouran. xD

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Nine: **

Haruhi sweatdropped, not quite sure what to make of their current situation.

She and Kyouya had been eating dinner in comfortable silence at one of Kyouya's preferred restaurants (after a rather heated debate about trying something new and eat someplace where the food didn't cost as much as a rare black pearl that could cost millions of yen) when, suddenly, out of absolutely no where, Hitachiin Hikaru and Kaoru showed up with their usual mischievous looks on their faces.

"_Why, look, Kaoru,"_ Hikaru had spoken with a sinister smirk. _"Our Shadow King and the princess are having dinner together. Shall we join them?"_

At first, Haruhi didn't see what was so horrible about having the twins join them since she hadn't really talked to them since they all graduated aside from a couple of e-mails once or twice a week. But as the night wore on, she noticed that something seemed rather strained in Hikaru's behavior. Kaoru was as sweet as he had always been, asking her about her classes at Tokyo University and talking about the Hitachiin winter line of beautiful and eccentric clothing whereas Hikaru, however, sat slightly brooding at her left side and Kyouya's right.

And here they were now, a strange tension rising between Kyouya and Hikaru. She couldn't say that she quite understood that feeling since Kyouya continued to eat with that impassive look on his face, his aura of familiar indifference. As she focused her eyes on Hikaru, she realized that he was shaking lightly, looking rather pale.

"Hikaru," Haruhi spoke, unable to ignore the poor man's condition. She placed a hand on his arm. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh, Haruhi!" Kaoru exclaimed with a nervous laugh, drawing her attention away from his twin. "Do you think you could help Hikaru and I find a wedding present for tono and Akiko-san? We don't understand much about commoner wedding gifts."

"Yes," Haruhi gazed at him suspiciously before returning to her meal. "Of course, Kaoru."

They were all silent once more, the tension between two of the men sitting with her becoming even more stifling as time went on. She and Kaoru continued to make light conversation but after a while, they could no longer continue.

"What is wrong with you two?" Haruhi felt compelled to ask since she could hardly taste the delicious food in her mouth at this point.

Silence answered her question and she moved her gaze to Kyouya who was taking a sip of his wine. Their eyes met and she could see that he had placed up that barrier that he possessed such a long time ago.

"There is nothing wrong, Haruhi," He spoke, his words seemingly cutting the tension between himself and Hikaru. "Perhaps you are imagining things?"

Haruhi raised an eyebrow at him but accepted his answer as everything seemed slightly more relaxed.

Dinner continued without a problem, although she could have sworn she saw Hikaru shoot angry glares in Kyouya's direction, but she was probably imagining it. Hikaru had absolutely no reason to be angry at Kyouya, wasn't that right?

"Why don't we give you a ride home tonight, Haruhi?" This time, Kaoru was the one to ask her.

She gazed at Kyouya who only returned her gaze with an emotionless look. She sighed and decided that since she had turned down the twins' offer twice before for Kyouya, she might as well agree this once.

"That'll be nice," Haruhi smiled at the twins brightly. "Thank you."

"It's our pleasure," Hikaru said.

Haruhi caught the smirk that Hikaru threw in Kyouya's direction and glanced over at Kyouya who had turned to leave.

"I'll be back," Haruhi promised them before walking fast-paced in Kyouya's direction and calling out his name. "Kyouya!"

At the sound of her voice, he stopped and turned, looking a bit tired which meant that his defenses and his walls were down. The moment he saw her, however, those walls returned and the collected and cool Kyouya returned.

"Kyouya?" Haruhi placed a hand at his sleeve. "Are you feeling all right?"

Kyouya only glanced at her and sighed before gently placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Good night, Haruhi," He said, turning to walk away.

"I'm sorry," Haruhi blurted.

When he stopped and turned to her inquisitively, she felt compelled to lower her eyes. She had no idea why she would apologize to him. Was it because she chose the twins over him? Is that why she felt slightly guilty? Or was it because of something else?

Kyouya only gave a small sigh and offered her a slight smile, lowering one of his ice walls. He placed a hand on her cheek like he had a few nights before when he had driven back to find her still standing at her apartment complex, silently hoping that he would turn back. Chocolate eyes met stormy eyes for a lingering second before…

"Go," He said, pulling away from her.

Haruhi gave him a smile, feeling a small orb of happiness materializing in her chest.

She and Kyouya were comfortable with each other. He was not stifling or very demanding; he was, as she had thought of him at Ouran, a kind person and strangely gentle. As she spent more and more time with him, she discovered that under his cool, emotionless mask, he was a passionate and warm person.

Waving good-bye to him, she headed back to the twins, smiling unconsciously to herself.

"Where did you go?" Kaoru asked her curiously as the Hitachiin car pulled up next to them.

"Nowhere," She answered.

As she chatter with Kaoru (or rather, listened to Kaoru speak about current events,) she realized that Hikaru had returned to his sulking in his seat.

"How have you been, Hikaru?" Haruhi asked when Kaoru had finished talking.

"Good," He mumbled, gazing back out of the window.

Haruhi shrugged and settled down in her seat, her mind on the materials that were covered in class. However, as she thought about her law class, her mind slowly dozing off between sleep and consciousness. It was nice in the limo, almost as nice as Kyouya's car, and she had stayed up the night before, finishing her thesis paper and completing the court project that had been issued the week before.

"She must be tired," She heard Kaoru's sweet voice say quietly.

"Why would she go for Kyouya-senpai?" Hikaru exclaimed angrily, punching the bullet-proof window, shocking her out of her slight doze.

"Calm down, Hikaru," Kaoru shushed him before Haruhi felt something warm covering her body. "Haruhi's sleeping."

"He's a bastard," Hikaru muttered through what it seemed like clenched teeth. Haruhi clutched Kaoru's jacket tightly. "He probably tricked Haruhi into—,"

"Let's not talk about it in front of her," Kaoru interrupted him with a sigh. "You'll make her feel insecure."

Haruhi heard only silence after Kaoru's request and let out a silent sigh. She understood their situation now—the tension between Kyouya and Hikaru was suddenly extremely clear to her.

She opened her eyes and found herself staring into Hikaru's jealousy-filled eyes.

"You're awake," Kaoru smiled warmly at her. "We're almost at your home too."

Only able to respond by nodding, she gazed into Hikaru's eyes for a moment, analyzing the emotions swirling in his amber orbs before sighing and said, "Hikaru…"

"Do you love him?" Hikaru blurted out, interrupting her train of thought.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru protested.

Haruhi was silent as she contemplated his question and her feelings. She wasn't quite sure what to answer him. She enjoyed Kyouya's company a significant amount and felt…well, she felt _safe_ near him. They were both independent and mature adults, who could neither live with or without each other but Haruhi found their relationship (if one could call it that) to her liking.

"Do you?" Hikaru asked her, his voice lowered to almost a whisper.

When the limo suddenly slowed and stopped, Haruhi tore her eyes away from Hikaru and Kaoru to glance out the window.

"Kaoru-sama and Hikaru-sama," The driver spoke. "We've arrived."

"Thank you," Kaoru replied.

Haruhi opened the door and stepped out, grateful of the cool autumn air that greeted her. It was refreshing and it carried away the stifling feeling that nearly suffocated her in the limousine.

"Thank you both for the ride," Haruhi gave them a grateful smile.

Kaoru gave her a smile and a wave and she shut the door behind her and headed up the steps to the doors of her apartment complex.

"Haruhi!" Hikaru called out as she reached out to push the doors open.

She turned on her heels quizzically, "What is it?"

Her eyes widened as he reached out for her and embraced her tightly.

"Why do you have feelings for him?" Hikaru cried out, burying his face into her hair. "WHY?"

Haruhi gave a small sigh of understanding and embraced him lightly. It was clear that the embrace was not intimate but rather for comfort. She patted his head as he held her closer to his shivering body.

"Hikaru," Haruhi whispered, pulling away slightly from the older twin. "I'm sorry."

Hikaru's eyes closed tightly and pulled himself away from her. He didn't say a word but instead turned and headed back to the limo before shutting himself inside without looking back at her.

She glanced over at Kaoru—who had followed the foolishly desperate Hikaru in order to try to stop him—and he only offered her a small smile.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi," Kaoru murmured, placing a hand at her shoulder. "He still needs some more time."

"He has you, Kaoru," Haruhi answered him in comfort. "I have no doubt that he'll be okay soon."

Kaoru gave her a rather lonesome curve of his lips before patting her on the head.

"You haven't changed much, Haruhi," He spoke before he entered the limo before it started up and disappeared into the darkness.

Haruhi sighed and turned to proceed up to her room before she stopped, seeing a very familiar figure sitting in the lobby of her apartment complex. As if the figure sensed her gaze, he glanced up and stood, his graceful figure heading in her direction. She wasn't quite sure what he was doing there, or why, but at that moment, she was more than happy to see Ootori Kyouya.

"Haruhi,"

Just a simple utter of her name made her feel like sobbing into her hands. He peeled away her defense, the walls that made her different from any other woman, only to reveal a weak, pathetic, distressed woman who needed nothing more than a pair of arms to embrace her.

"Kyouya," Haruhi muttered, clutching her keys tightly. "What are you doing here?"

The dark-haired man didn't answer, but instead, wrapped his arms gently around her, and held her close to his own body.

"He'll understand," Kyouya said, pushing her bangs from her face.

"Yes," Haruhi buried her face into his chest. "I hope so."

--

**Author's Note:** I know I haven't been replying to anybody's review as of late and I really, really apologize for that! I haven't had the time to reply due to Invisible and those piles of homework and projects building up in my room. TT. But I read every single of your reviews and I greatly appreciate all of the comments (and suggestions) that you've given me and it makes me really happy to see that people enjoy reading Kimi no Koe as much as I enjoyed writing it! So thank you all for reading and reviewing! You're all so awesome! (Pocky for all of you!)

And I wholeheartedly apologize to all HikaruxHaruhi fans out there who are reading this (if there _are_ any, anyway . ) but I really don't mean to offend any of you by picking on Hikaru! I support HikaxHaru as much as I support MorixHaru and TamaxHaru…they just don't happen to be my OTP (and I support HikaxKao…if you couldn't tell from this chapter.) I'm sorry…please don't kill me until after this fic is over! -hides-

I'M SO SORRY, BUT I THINK THIS WAS REALLY OOC! I'M SORRY! -sniff-

- "tono" is translated roughly into "lord" or "milord" and that's what the twins call Tamaki- "Akiko-san" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Kyouya-senpai" The suffix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "Kaoru-sama and Hikaru-sama" The suffix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** PG.  
**Written for:** uplifting my spirits after watching episode 25 and stuffs.  
**Dedicated to:** Tamaki tono and Nya-nya of the FRoP forums again because they're so wonderful! Thank you two so much for always drawing me very fluffy KyouxHaru fanart! Chapter 10 is for you two wonderful people in my life! (heart) Also dedicated to my wonderful friends, Jung-Ho, Yan, and Kat because they forgave me. I'm sorry, you guys.  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...so that means I don't own ANYONE in this story! But that doesn't mean I can't pray, hope, and wish that I owned Kyouya -wink-

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Ten:**

Ootori Kyouya, age twenty-four, third son of the wealthy Ootori family, was currently sitting at his mahogany desk, staring hard at the e-mail that he had just received before letting out a silent sigh and closing the laptop with a soft click. He stood from his desk and walked over to the window behind his chair and stared out at the city, his hands in his pockets, contemplating his next move.

The business industry excited him ever since he was a child. It was dangerous and exhilarating—one moment one could be the richest man in the world and the next, they plunged down into a dark abyss with nothing left. He learned exactly how to play with the cards he held in his hands and making sure that no one else can read them. He could read others' cards and kept his carefully hidden. Every person was different, every circumstance varied, and the stakes were high; business was the one thing in his life that he took a true interest in.

But lately, he hasn't been thinking much about business. He had already thought through most of his back-ups and whatnot, lest he did not become the Ootori heir (although, quite frankly, he was very sure that he had won his father's favor with his last presentation) and had started a few of his own businesses which had been flourishing beautifully for the past few years. Should his father deny him the position as head of the Ootori family, he will become even greater with those said businesses. Either way, Haruhi was going to be by his side in both circumstances, whether his father wanted a say in it or not.

"Excuse me, Ootori-san?" His secretary's voice appeared over the small intercom on his desk. "There is a call for you on line one from Ootori-sama."

"Thank you," Kyouya headed to his desk and pressed the blinking button. "Good afternoon, father."

"Kyouya," His father's voice was as distinct and dignified as ever. "I have something to discuss with you."

"Yes, father?" Kyouya seated himself in his comfortable black leather chair.

"In two weeks, I am announcing the heir of the Ootori Corporation," His father spoke in his strong but monotone voice. "The details of the dinner have been forwarded to your secretary as well as your brothers' secretaries. I expect to see you there, Kyouya."

"Of course, father," Kyouya agreed, smirking lightly.

"Also," His father paused for a moment. "I have been hearing rumors about you."

Kyouya was silent. He did not like where the direction of this conversation was headed.

"Rumors?" Kyouya inquired finally, picking up his pen idly.

"I have heard that you were courting a young woman of common lineage," Those dreaded words finally left his father's lips. "Are they correct?"

"Yes, father," Kyouya answered without the slightest hint of hesitation.

"I see," Kyouya could not decipher the tone of his father's voice. "I will keep in touch with you, Kyouya."

"Yes, father,"

Kyouya pressed the button once more, leaning back into the seat, his mind already creating another plan to become the successor of the Ootori Company and have Haruhi at his side.

After the situation with Hikaru, he had realized just how much Haruhi meant to him as a person, an individual, and as a woman. She was a strong woman—independent and stubborn, but beautiful and delicate. He wanted to support her whenever she needed him to do so, which was rare but…

He gave a sigh and reopened his laptop again to read the e-mail once more. He didn't have time to think such frivolous thoughts. While he had problems to deal with concerning Haruhi and his family, he must take care of this nagging problem first—the highest priority from this moment forth.

He must confront Hitachiin Hikaru.

--

"And to what pleasure do I have of meeting with you, _Hitachiin-kun_?" Kyouya asked as he seated himself across from an indignant and proud Hikaru at a bar that was well-known in the world of the wealthy.

"Oh, shut up, Kyouya-senpai," Hikaru scowled at him, looking angry and very irritated. "Lose the formalities and sarcasm."

"Of course," Kyouya offered him a smirk. "So what was it that you needed to speak to me about?"

"Haruhi," Hikaru stated bluntly.

"What about Haruhi?" Kyouya inquired, leaning back in his seat, raising an eyebrow.

"I've been watching her," The redheaded man stated, sipping his cocktail stiffly. "And I've come to a conclusion."

Kyouya gestured for him to continue gracefully.

"She's out of my reach," Hikaru finally said, his amber eyes glaring into his own onyx eyes accusingly. "And it's all because of the person sitting across from me."

"And?" Kyouya crossed his legs. "Your solution?"

"If you ever make her cry," Hikaru growled, slamming down his cocktail. "I swear I'll rip your throat out."

"Whatever happened to 'I'm going to be the one she will give her heart to'?" Kyouya questioned, waving away the waiter that was headed in his direction. "Surely you could have tried harder."

At that moment, Kyouya caught a flash of pain appear on Hikaru's face before it returned to its stony quality.

"No matter how hard I try," Hikaru muttered, "she'll always go back to you." Anger and jealousy flashed in those eyes before he said, "Even if I blinded her and made her immobile, she'll make her way back to you. And if not, you'll force your way towards her."

Kyouya gave a light chuckle, "Is that so?"

"Yes," Hikaru stated firmly.

"Did Kaoru tell you all of this?"

Hikaru blushed horribly and muttered obscenities under his breath that sounded suspiciously close to "that stupid bastard" and "why the hell is he so perceptive anyway?"

"Thank you," Kyouya spoke, standing from his seat and straightening his suit, "Hikaru."

Kyouya had turned and prepared to leave before Hikaru called out, "Kyouya-senpai."

"Yes?" He turned back to find Hikaru standing, his fashionably cut bangs veiling his eyes.

"Please take care of her," Hikaru bowed, refusing to meet his eyes.

"I will," Kyouya answered, offering the discomfited man a slight smile.

He turned and left the bar, nodding in Kaoru's direction as he left, causing the young man to blush lightly, ashamed of being caught snooping. Leaving the building, he breathed in, taking in the crisp autumn air. Has he ever felt so rejuvenated in his life?

His cell phone rang, disrupting his pleasant thoughts, "Yes?"

"Kyouya-kun,"

"What is it, onee-san?" Kyouya sighed. "Shouldn't you be with your husband in Hokkaido?"

"Yes," Fuyumi said carefully. "But your older sister is worried about you. Father called you the other day, didn't he?"

"And?" Kyouya summoned for his driver.

Fuyumi was silent before she let out a sigh, "And what are you going to do about Haruhi-chan?"

"Who told you about—?" Kyouya stopped, making a mental note to kill a certain half-French blond who couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Father won't be pleased, Kyouya-kun," Fuyumi sounded worried.

"Don't worry," Kyouya smirked as he entered his car. "I'll have her by my side. Forever."

--

**Author's Note:** So…I hate school with a passion. I hate my clubs with an even stronger passion, but I love my clubs too xD SO! Due to that one reason, I haven't been replying to any reviews (again) and I sincerely apologize! Everyone has been so supportive and wonderful that sometimes whenever I read your reviews, I feel the urge to cry.

You can all tell (I hope) just how much I love Kaoru and his sweet personality. YAY FOR KAORU! And yes, Kimi no Koe is ending soon for all of you curious fans (I have some out there, right?) but you never know! I just might write a pretty two-shot sequel if it is requested!

And yes, this was a boring chapter. I apologize.

- "Ootori-san" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex. In this case, I used –san and –sama to distinguish Kyouya and his father.  
- "Ootori-sama" The suffix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society.  
- "Kyouya-senpai" The suffix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "Kyouya-kun," The suffix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
- "onee-san" means "older sister"  
- "Hokkaido" literal meaning: "North Sea Route", formerly known as Ezo, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan.  
- "Haruhi-chan" The suffix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** PG.  
**Written for:** All of my supporters. I would never have gone this far if it wasn't for you guys!  
**Dedicated to:** Two of the greatest teachers I know! (I know they're never going to read this, but oh well!) Ms. Wong and Mata-sensei…thank you so much for supporting me when I need it! I'm not very talented, so I can't draw a pretty picture or anything, but I can write so…  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...all I own is the plot and my writing style. I'm just borrowing the characters for the time being. As for Akiko, she's my character! YAY! Something to call my own!

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Eleven:**

"Haruhi-chan,"

Haruhi groaned lightly and pulled the covers over her head. Who on earth was crazy enough to be awake this early in the morning?

"Haruhi-chan," The voice repeated once more.

She snuggled deeper down into her covers, feeling warm and secure. This feeling was very familiar—it was addicting and it reminded her of someone. She smiled into her pillow and prepared to drift back asleep again.

"Haruhi-chan, wake up!" The voice tried again cheerfully, this time shaking her lightly.

"Nngh?" Haruhi replied sleepily, as she pushed the covers from her face, only to be greeted by a bright room. She shut her eyes tightly.

"Thank goodness," The voice said with slight relief. "If you woke up any later, you won't make it to any of your appointments."

"Appointments?" Haruhi inquired as her eyes inched open to take in the familiar face of Shido Fuyumi. "Shido-san!"

Haruhi sat up quickly in bed, her eyes wide. What in the world was Kyouya's older sister doing in her room? No, Haruhi shook her head, how in the world did she get inside her home in the first place?

"Good morning!" Fuyumi smiled brightly. "Now, get dressed, Haruhi-chan! We're going to miss your first appointment!"

"W-wait!" Haruhi called out to the woman who had already left the room. She sighed and muttered under her breath, "What appointment?"

"Your appointments for a makeover! A _complete_ makeover!" Fuyumi called back into the room.

_A makeover?_ Haruhi thought, feeling a sick feeling well up in her stomach.

"But of course," Fuyumi said, entering her room again, "you can't say anything to Kyouya-kun. He would be furious if he found me interfering."

"'Us', she meant," Another voice spoke up.

"Akiko-san?" Haruhi couldn't believe that two beautiful women were standing in her bedroom so early in the morning, and again, _how did they get in_?

"Come now!" Fuyumi clapped her hands excitedly. "We don't have any time to waste, Haruhi-chan!"

Haruhi groaned and groggily stepped out of her warm bed into the cool air. It was bad enough that Kyouya had sprung the question on her a week ago during one of their dinners about meeting his family and now she had to go through _this_?

"I really don't think this is necessary, Shido-san…" Haruhi said as she grabbed a sweater and a pair of jeans from her closet.

"Kyouya-kun is too stubborn," Fuyumi declared. "He said that he would rather have you meet father the way you are now, but it doesn't hurt to put in some extra effort!"

Haruhi smiled to herself as she closed the bathroom door at Fuyumi's words and began brushing her teeth. Kyouya would rather have her meet his father as she was? He had certainly acquired a bit too much confidence in her. There was no doubt that if Haruhi greeted his family normally, she would immediately be banned from seeing him again.

Her arm stopped its motion and she stared at herself in the mirror, her mouth filled with toothpaste. This was a strange sensation to her; this squeezing ache in her heart when she thought about being separated from him. Is this how other women felt when they were in love? Haruhi wasn't quite sure, considering she's never been in love before, but somehow she understood it. She wasn't the type of woman to go hysterical over a man, but there was a bubbling in her very being that made her feel quite aggrieved.

"Haruhi-chan? Are you ready?" Fuyumi knocked on the door gently.

Haruhi quickly spit out her toothpaste, gargled, and answered yes before quickly changing into her clothes and running a brush through her hair. She paused and took a strand of her brown hair, observing it carefully.

"Well," She sighed to herself, turning to open the door. "I can always cut it after the dinner."

Haruhi allowed herself to be dragged off to spa after spa and then salon after salon.

First they took her to a spa to soften her skin, and then to another for something else that Haruhi was not quite sure of, until her entire body felt like a prune. Then Akiko and Fuyumi took her to a salon to wash her hair, before going to another to trim it, and then _another_ to style it. Just when the last pull of her hair had been pulled and Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief, Akiko rounded her up and stuffed her back into the limousine to get a manicure.

"I don't need a manicure!" Haruhi attempted to reason with them.

"Of course you do," Fuyumi waved a hand cheerfully. "A woman's hands are very important."

Haruhi sighed and turned back to Akiko, "Does anyone force you to do this too, Akiko-san?"

"No," Akiko smiled gently, folding her hands on her lap. "I prefer not to overindulge myself on materialistic needs and desires."

"Then why am I—,"

"Akiko-chan's situation differs from yours, Haruhi-chan," Fuyumi said seriously, crossing her legs gracefully. "While Tamaki-kun's father accepts Akiko-chan's commoner ways, my father has not yet met you and has a harsh view on the common society. The first impression is extremely important, Haruhi-chan. Please understand that."

"But…" Haruhi sighed, staring down at her hands.

There was nothing she could truly do about her hands, whether it went through all of this nonsense or not. She simply did not possess hands of a pampered princess. There were small scars from when she was learning to cook as a child, and they were rough from doing years of housework.

"When this is over, Fujioka-san," Akiko said, reaching over and placing a hand on Haruhi's, "and when Ootori-sama accepts you, then you may do whatever you wish. But just for today, why don't you enjoy the new experience of this new world?"

Fuyumi's phone rang and she picked it up with a smile, "Kyouya-kun!"

"Where is Haruhi, onee-san?" Kyouya's voice sounded deadly over the phone.

"Ah, Haruhi-chan?" Fuyumi gave her a small wink. "She's with me and Akiko-chan."

"Let me talk with her, onee-san," Kyouya requested.

"Here you go," Fuyumi handed her the phone. "Kyouya-kun seems very worried about you."

Haruhi took the phone and smiled into the phone, "Kyouya."

"Thank goodness," Kyouya said, a hint of relief could be heard in his voice. "Where are you?"

"I'm in Shido-san's limo with Akiko-san," Haruhi explained as she sat back in the leather cushions, feeling the tension in her shoulders melt away at the sound of his relaxing voice.

"Onee-san forced you to get a makeover, isn't that right?" Kyouya sounded a bit irritated.

"Yes," Haruhi answered truthfully.

Kyouya gave a sigh before saying lightly, "I wanted father to meet you as you are, Haruhi."

"Why?" Haruhi couldn't deny it. She was curious.

"That's irrelevant information," Kyouya stated. "I suppose I'm still picking you up at seven?"

"Yes," Haruhi answered, slightly disappointed that Kyouya would not tell her why he wanted her in her normal appearance.

"I'll see you then," Haruhi was prepared to hang up before, "Haruhi?"

"Eh?"

"It is because I wanted to show father how wonderful you were just as yourself," Kyouya said quietly. "I wanted him to see your beauty even without the pampering."

Before Haruhi could comment, Kyouya had hung up, causing the phone to revert back to its silent self. She handed the phone back to Fuyumi, her ears still ringing of his words. He had certainly become more open with her, revealing that warm person that had been frozen in a world of ice for far too long. It made the back of her heart warm.

"Let's work hard, Fujioka-san!"

Haruhi glanced up into Akiko's smiling face and agreed reluctantly. Akiko was right, of course, and so was Fuyumi. They were trying so hard to help her be accepted into the Ootori family, despite her lineage, and Kyouya was supporting her in his own way, adoring her commoner side and wanting his father to understand exactly why he did so.

When she had completed everything on Fuyumi's agenda, they returned her home only to tell her that there was one more thing that they needed to complete.

"What is it now?" Haruhi asked resignedly.

"We have to put on your dress," Fuyumi clapped her hands with excitement. "Oh, Haruhi-chan! It's beautiful! Kyouya-kun had chosen it at first glance!"

_Kyouya chose it?_ Haruhi wondered as they entered her flat.

She was ushered towards her bedroom and when she entered, her eyes widened as she saw the dress laying daintily on her bed. Before she had any more time to admire it, she was forced into the dress before she could take in its beauty. It was made of soft silk in the color of palest cream, almost innocently white, but clearly not. Three inches of the bateau neckline was a nice, solid black color, contrasting to its overall beige. The bodice fit her comfortably—not too tight, but not too loose. At her waist was a belt of black silk, tied loosely so that it hung on her hips, held together by a crimson rose, and the ends of the belt fell elegantly from the flower. And from the slightly tightened waist, the silky material fell loosely to her ankles, the hem decorated with black.

"You're so beautiful, Fujioka-san!" Akiko's brown eyes were shining beautifully.

"We must put on the make-up!" Fuyumi glanced at the diamond-studded watch on her wrist.

"Shido-san," Haruhi said quietly. "Would it be all right if I didn't put on any?"

Fuyumi was silent before smiling gently and said, "Of course, Haruhi-chan."

Haruhi offered her a grateful smile and allowed Akiko to put on only a bit of gloss on her lips before heading for the door where black silk low heels waited patiently for her feet. As she slipped her feet into the heels, the doorbell rang and Haruhi opened the door to find Kyouya standing at her doorstep.

"Hello Haruhi," Kyouya said with a soft smile on his face as he took in her appearance.

"Kyouya," Haruhi greeted him with a smile in return.

"Shall we go?" Kyouya extended his hand out to her. "Onee-san and Akiko-san will be joining us at the mansion."

"That reminds me," Haruhi said thoughtfully as she took his offered hand. "How on earth did you two get in my apartment anyway?"

"Never underestimate an Ootori," Fuyumi laughed. "Now go! We'll catch up with you two with our significant others."

Haruhi gave a small laugh and followed Kyouya down to his limo.

"I would be driving," He murmured. "But father despises it when I drive myself."

Haruhi gripped his hand tightly, her eyes meeting his soulfully. He only gave her a smile and placed a soft, but reassuring, kiss on her forehead. She held his hand as they drove through the busy streets of Tokyo and as the mansion loomed up before them, she felt her heart pound furiously against her chest.

She was always a determined person and of all the obstacles she had defeated, this was one obstacle that will either make her the happiest woman on earth or ruin her life. And she was not going to allow this obstacle to ruin her life.

--

**Author's Note:** I know NOTHING about makeovers. In fact, the only thing I know about make-up is chapstick and eyeliner. I don't even know much about nail polish except the fact that you paint them onto your nails and that's it. That's why I was extremely vague on the entire makeover process. I tried to research it, but the only things that came up were "Extreme Makeover Applicants!", "Plastic Surgery is 90 of All Makeovers!", and "Technology Makeovers!" etc. etc. -sigh- Who knew makeovers were such a pain to research? And if you couldn't tell, I'm kind of a tomboy '

Also, I hate wearing dresses, but I like looking at them. Despite that, I know nothing about dresses. So if my terminology is incorrect, I sincerely apologize. I did a lot of research on it.

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I personally liked it, but…we all know how vain some authors are, right? -sweatdrop- And I was planning on releasing this on Tuesday because episode 26 is coming out that day and everyone will be sad and hopefully this chapter will cheer everyone up, but my friend is sad, so I decided to post this a tad bit earlier.

- "Haruhi-chan" The suffix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.  
- "Shido-san!" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Kyouya-kun!" The suffix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
-" Ootori-sama" The suffix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society. However, Akiko is referring to Kyouya and Fuyumi's father.  
- "onee-san" means "older sister"  
- "bateau neckline" is a neckline that travels straight across shoulders with a slight dip in front

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** PG.  
**Written for:** closure. I swear there were huge hints of KyouyaxHaruhi in episode 26! THE EVIDENCE IS THERE! -fangirlspaz-  
**Dedicated to:** Wraith-san. He's been extremely busy lately and hasn't written chapter 10 yet, so maybe this may motivate him to write? (I doubt it, but I can dream! xD)  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...and of course, Kyouya and Haruhi own each other, but I'm left with nothing. We fanfic authors are poor. -sniffles- Anyone want to donate a Kyouya plushie?

**Kimi no Koe**

By, Yue Guang Kuroneko

--

**Chapter Twelve:**

Kyouya could sense Haruhi's mild insecurity as the mansion loomed closer and closer until the limo stopped at the front doors of the decorated house. He offered her a murmur of reassurance just before the door of the limo opened to reveal the mansion in its full splendor. Had Haruhi not been so nervous, she probably would have marveled at the spectacular sight, but instead only tightened her grip on his hand.

"Haruhi," He murmured, pulling her closer to him, pressing his lips against her temple. "You'll do fine."

Haruhi said nothing, but nodded before taking a deep breath and offering him a smile. He admired her bravery, he had to admit. If it had been any other commoner, they would have left him the moment he mentioned "family."

He will admit that the Ootori family was an intimidating one, especially to those of the lower classes. His father taught him to hold himself above everyone else, even those of his _own_ class but as time continued, he began to realize that there were people who didn't care whether he thought lowly of them—in fact, they couldn't care less of what he thought of them at all. He was then intrigued by these said people and watched them closely. What was it that made them live such an insignificant life, but is fulfilled by it? And why was it that he, who had the world in the palm of his hand, could never be satisfied with his life?

"Welcome home, Ootori-sama," The servant who opened the door greeted him cautiously. "The Master is waiting for you."

"Yes," Kyouya pushed his glasses up his nose as he left the limo behind Haruhi. "Thank you."

As they made their way up the stairs to those double doors, he felt his heart beat stronger against his chest, and immediately, his hand searched for hers to comfort her. He wasn't at all surprised to find Haruhi smile up at him with that lovely gentle glow of hers as if she had come to accept their situation.

"Kyouya,"

Kyouya glanced up to find his father standing at the top of the stairs, his presence dignified and even more intimidating than normal.

"Father," He answered, giving Haruhi's hand one last squeeze before releasing it.

"And I suppose this is…?" Ootori Yoshio gave Haruhi a glance as he allowed his sentence to trail off.

"I am Fujioka Haruhi," Haruhi bowed politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ootori-san."

Kyouya watched his father's reaction carefully. There was a slight lift of an eyebrow but the rest of his father's face remained impassive and disinterested.

"Kyouya, you and your brothers will be greeting the guests tonight," Yoshio turned and just before he disappeared into the mansion, he turned back and said, "And take care not to embarrass me."

"Yes, father," Kyouya answered lightly, carefully watching him until he was gone.

"Why, it's Kyouya-kun,"

Kyouya tensed as he heard the familiar drawl of his oldest brother, Ootori Yusuke.

"Onii-san," He replied, turning to greet his eldest brother and his fiancée. "Saionji-san."

"Oh?" Saionji Kagome ignored his greeting as her contacted-green eyes landed upon Haruhi. "And who might this be?"

"Fujioka Haruhi," Haruhi spoke in her unwavering voice as she bowed.

"She's a pretty thing," Kagome said thoughtfully. She shot him a smirk, "But it is _such_ a shame that her pretty face doesn't match her background."

Kyouya did not allow any emotion to be shown on his face as Yusuke and Kagome walked passed them and entered the opened doors of the mansion, where his father greeted them.

He had never really liked Saionji Kagome when Yusuke had first brought her to meet the family, due to her lack of responsibility, proper demeanor, and refining qualities. He had been quite sure that no one else could approve of her, so when Yusuke had announced that he wished for Kagome's hand in marriage at breakfast one day, the already silent room became deathly quiet as all utensils paused in midair, newspapers ceased rustling, and the air became cold. However, after a moment's thought, his father gave Yusuke a rare curve of the lips and told him to do as he wished.

"Kyouya?" Haruhi's voice brought him back from the memory and he glanced down at her blankly.

He said nothing as he led Haruhi up the stairs, still lost in his thoughts.

There were those companies prepared to become a part of the Ootori Corporation but also prepared to be working under him as a separate business. Without the inheritance of the Ootori Company, he would be nowhere as rich as whoever ends up as heir. However, his pride would not allow him to lose. But would he be able to do whatever he must do in order to obtain the position of the heir? Should his father threaten to do so, would he possess the strength to leave Haruhi?

As guests began to arrive, he greeted them with a forced smile, watching Haruhi bow to every single guest modestly as she welcomed them warmly. She struck up short conversations with a small number of them and he could see the curiosity well up in their eyes as they reluctantly joined the others at the dance floor.

"Where is Shinichi?" He heard his father ask Yusuke with a voice of disapproval.

"He has yet to arrive," Yusuke replied. "Shall I call him, father?"

"Don't bother," Another voice spoke up. "I'm here."

"Where have you been?" Yusuke scolded the middle sibling as he joined them.

"I was at an important meeting," Shinichi answered coolly. "Is there a problem?"

"Shinichi," Ootori Yoshio stated.

"Father,"

"The deal?" His father asked him with a pair of stern eyes.

"Closed," Shinichi gave them an Ootori smirk.

"Onii-san," He nodded at the lanky sort of man.

"Kyouya," Shinichi gave him a smile. "How have you been?"

Kyouya could only smile at his older brother. Of the two older siblings, Shinichi was always the quieter one, and perceptive. While Yusuke possessed more of a cocky personality, Shinichi was his polar opposite. However, Shinichi and Yusuke were probably more alike than they were different.

"Haruhi," Kyouya beckoned her over. She excused herself from the guests and joined them. "This is my older brother, Ootori Shinichi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Haruhi bowed.

"Haruhi-chan, was it?" Shinichi offered her a winning smile as he took her hand and placed his lips upon it lightly. "I would be honored if you saved a dance for me."

"Sure," Haruhi shrugged, looking unflustered as she pulled her hand away. "I don't see why not."

"HA-RU-HI!"

"Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi turned from Shinichi to smile at the hyperactive blond man who was swinging his arms in the air wildly at the bottom of the stairs with their friends.

"I see Fuyumi-oneesan did a good job," A voice murmured from behind him.

"Kaoru," Kyouya gazed down at the smirking twin.

"Aren't you bothered, Kyouya-senpai?" Kaoru asked him, gazing around the mansion. "That all of your guests have their eyes on Haruhi?"

"Would those guests including your twin brother?" Kyouya gestured towards the man who glared at him in irreversible jealousy.

Kaoru gave a weak laugh and said nothing more as he joined their past friends, including Hunny and Mori.

"Ootori-sama," One of the butlers said politely. "The Master wishes to see you and your brothers."

"Thank you,"

"Good luck, Kyou-chan!" Hunny waved at him from Haruhi's side. Mori gave him a silent nod.

As he turned away to join the little group that gathered around his father, he felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He turned to find Haruhi standing next to him.

"Good luck, Kyouya,"

His eyes widened as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before pulling away and smiling at him brightly. He watched as she walked gracefully back to their group and felt a small smile tug on his lips. She was an entrancing woman, although he never would have thought back then that they would be standing in this position now.

Kyouya pushed his glasses up his nose and joined his father and brothers at the front of the room.

It was time.

--

**Author's Note:** All right, before every single one of you come to me and yell at me because "THAT WASN'T WHAT HAPPENED IN EPISODE 26!" I will state this clearly**: Kimi no Koe is going to be based off of the manga and not the anime**. I only use reference from the anime when I absolutely have to. Episodes 25 and 26 were based—slightly—off of the manga but they changed everything at the end. So as far as I know, Ootori Yoshio does not know about Fujioka Haruhi nor wants her to be married into the Ootori family. So please, if you have not read the manga, please keep that in mind and hopefully, you'll pick up the manga one day at a bookstore -wink-

Please note that my author's notes are usually important, so if you have the time, please read it. Also, my translations and whatnot may not be too important (because a lot of you know all the suffixes already) but please read this before all of you get confused!

- "Ootori-sama" The suffix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society  
- "The Master" is what Kyouya's father is referred to at home. However, anywhere else, he is known as "Ootori-sama" and the sons are "Ootori-san"  
- "Ootori Yoshio" is the name given in the anime (but I'm not sure if it's his name in the manga)  
- "Ootori-san" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Kyouya-kun," The suffix -kun is used for (in most cases) males.  
- "Ootori Yusuke" and "Ootori Shinichi" are only made up names for Kyouya's older brothers. They are NOT THE REAL ONES! When their names are officially announced, I will change it. Also, Yusuke is the oldest (the tallest with the square glasses) and Shinichi is the second (with no glasses and messy hair.)  
- "Onii-san" means "older brother"  
- "Saionji Kagome" is an original character. Feel free to hate her. xD.  
- "Tamaki-senpai" The suffix -senpai is used for those higher than you. For example, an 8th grader would call an 11th grader "-senpai"  
- "Fuyumi-oneesan," literally means "big sister Fuyumi." I have decided that since Fuyumi is a very warm person, that the Host Club refer to her as an older sister as well.

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

**Pairing:** KyouyaxHaruhi  
**Rating:** PG.  
**Written for:** therapy. Again. I know. I'm so mental.  
**Dedicated to:** All of my darling, _darling_, fans. Without you all, Kimi no Koe would not have been such a success. Thank you all very much for supporting me and my inconsistent publishing of each chapter. You were all so very wonderful! Thank you so much!  
**Warning:** Beware of OOCness and just general suckage. And again, not BETA'd...sorry for little mistakes here and there. Also, this is a long chapter due to the fact that it's the last.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ouran or any of its characters. They belong only to the great Bisco Hatori-sama (and BONES)...so let me live this fantasy a little and pretend it's mine!! Please!! And then I'll give it back to Hatori-sensei and BONES after I'm done with it!

**Kimi no Koe**

_A Kyouya and Haruhi Tale_

By, kuroneko-chan

--

**Chapter Thirteen:**

Haruhi watched as Kyouya headed up to the front of the room with his brothers, a solemn look resting upon his handsome features. She clutched her dress just over her wildly beating heart, feeling it thump against her fist. There were complications…there were_ always_ complications. If Kyouya was chosen to be heir, what would happen to her? And what if he wasn't chosen? Would they still be separated?

She was raised to be independent, so why was it that she felt like she wanted to depend on him?

A firm hand landed on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze and she glanced up to find Mori smiling at her gently.

"Everything will be okay, Haru-chan!" Hunny whispered as he held her hand tightly. "Really!"

As the entire group stood at the top of the stairs that led down to the dancing hall, she could feel all of them sending their support and their prayers to the man she adored with all of her heart. There was no need to second guess her feelings now that she was sucked deep into this beautiful world that was made up of purely Ootori Kyouya. He was like an oasis after days of chaos and work and she wasn't quite sure how she felt this way (considering she stayed out of his way at Ouran) but she was very grateful that he had decided to visit her at Tokyo University that day.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ootori Yoshio's voice resonated throughout the hall as he spoke into a microphone. "I introduce to you my three sons."

A polite applause could be heard and it died as Kyouya's father began to speak once more.

"As you all know, the Ootori Corporation is a large business that ensures the health of—,"

Haruhi stopped listening to him as this point and concentrated her attention on Kyouya, who was standing stiffly next to Akito. She never thought he belonged up there, in front of dozens of people, speaking so formally and through hidden words and meanings. He was a straightforward man, one who strived for what he sought, intentions hidden only when necessary.

Back at Ouran, she had always thought he was an enigma. He was mysterious and dark, never wearing his emotions on his sleeve. But lately, she's noticed that he was nothing he was before. Ootori Kyouya was a normal person, one with emotions, feelings, and understanding. He was a person filled with hidden, sincere smiles, with warm, loving arms, and a gentle, trembling heart.

Haruhi was quite sure that had she never met him, her life would never be as content as it was now.

"—and in conclusion," Her breath stopped in her throat. "I have chosen the next successor to the Ootori Corporation."

There was a tension in the room but Haruhi felt numb to its pressure. Kyouya must have felt it even more than she did—this numbness in this heavy eternity. And for the briefest of moments, Kyouya raised his gaze and their eyes met.

His gaze was stormy, a mixture of emotions and thoughts that he shielded from the rest of the world, from everyone but her. She could see the anxiety, the quiver of uncertainty, and then, that vast appreciation. She was slightly taken aback as he openly offered her an affectionate, comforting smile that would have stopped any woman in her tracks, should he use it to his advantage.

"The heir of the Ootori Company shall be…"

Haruhi couldn't break her eyes away from Kyouya as he returned his gaze forward.

_Please,_ she prayed silently, tightening her grip on Hunny's hand unconsciously._Please…_

"…Ootori Kyouya."

Her breath left her in a rush and suddenly, the weight resting on her chest lessened and was carried away with the loud applause that shook the Ootori mansion. She closed her eyes and relished in the loosening of chains and weights that had been squeezing at her heart.

"Aren't you glad, Haruhi?"

Haruhi opened her eyes and found all of her friends smiling brightly at her; Kaoru with his sweet smile, Hikaru with a weak one, Tamaki with his charming one, Mori with his understanding one, and Hunny with a sugary one. And standing next to them were new friends; Akiko with her gentle smile and Fuyumi with her cheerful one. She could feel the happiness rising in her throat and she managed to push away the stinging of happy tears.

"I need a breath of fresh air," Haruhi said ruefully.

She waved good-bye to them as she headed out to the one of the balcony doors, attempting to calm her racing heart. She has never felt this way before—excited, relieved, pure _joy_, with hints of uneasiness and fear. What was going to happen now? He was one of the richest men in Japan and possessed everything that any man would kill for: the assets, the lineage, the power, intelligence and cunning, and the looks. But…what did _she_ have to offer him? She was still a Law student, working as a waitress at a commoner's coffee shop—could she accustom her lifestyle to fit his?

_Why am I getting so worried?_ She wondered as she walked out onto the balcony that overlooked the lighted garden of the Ootori estate. She watched the lights blink cheerfully, the music from the mansion float almost romantically out into the air before the breeze carried the melody up into the dark heavens.

"Fujioka-sama,"

She turned abruptly as the voice startled her slightly out of her thoughts. Since when was she so highly regarded?

"Yes?"

"The Master wishes to see you," He turned away slightly. "Please follow me."

Haruhi followed him carefully, into the dance hall (catching only a slight glance at the large crowd that was congratulating Kyouya) before stepping through a door that led into a dark hallway. She followed silently, idly observing her surroundings before they turned a corner only to be greeted by a large door.

"The Master is behind those doors," The servant nodded towards the intimidating obstruction.

"Thank you," She replied before the servant bowed and left her in the dark hallway.

Haruhi took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came the dignified voice.

She took hold of the doorknob before the door opened on its own, revealing a luxurious study room, lighted brilliantly. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she immediately recognized Ootori Yusuke and Ootori Akito standing in front of the door.

"Fujioka-san," Yusuke gave her a nod.

"Haruhi-chan," Akito threw her a playful smirk.

She bowed to them, not trusting herself to speak. What could they possibly want from her?

"Fujioka Haruhi," The voice of Ootori Yoshio carried over to her. "Please come in."

She stepped in through the door after a moment's hesitation. As soon as she was fully inside of the room, Akito closed those doors with a soft click.

"Don't be afraid," Yoshio gave a slight chuckle. "Please sit down."

Haruhi seated herself in the seat that sat before his large, beautiful desk as his two oldest sons stood by his side. This had been the first time she had the time to fully observe Kyouya's father. He was, in every aspect, a businessman. With neatly combed hair, wrinkle-free clothing, and the natural aristocratic air, he would have any number of commoners shaking in intimidation and inferiority. However, the longer she observed him, she realized that his refined face was wrinkled and softened by time's erosion. Although he looked well-off, there was a hint of darkness behind those dulled eyes. He had not lived a fulfilling life.

"You must be wondering why I have brought you here," Yoshio spoke.

"Yes," Haruhi answered truthfully as she set her hands down gently in her lap.

"If I should remove the title of heir from Kyouya and set it upon Akito, would you be willing to wed him?"

Haruhi was struck speechless at the ridiculous question. Did all of the high society look down upon middle-class people as beggars who would take the trouble to follow the rich around like some puppy?

"No," Haruhi answered.

"And why not?" Akito spoke up haughtily as if insulted.

"Because you are not the one I have chosen," Haruhi spoke bluntly. "I love Ootori Kyouya as a human being and a man. His social status and power has nothing to do with it."

The three Ootori men were quiet and she could hear the rushing of her blood in her ears as the silence dragged on for a few more moments.

She sighed and stood from her seat as she spoke, "If you do not mind, I will dismiss myself. Excuse me."

Not a word was said as she turned and left the room, closing the door behind herself with a soft click. She breathed a sigh of relief and made her way back into the dancing hall where the crowd around Kyouya had almost dispersed, minus a few women who had surrounded themselves around him.

"Would you like to dance?" A familiar voice asked from behind her.

She turned to find Ootori Akito offering her a small smile. Had he followed her out of his father's office?

"Eh?"

"You said you'd save a dance for me, didn't you?"

Haruhi gave a small laugh and nodded. He took her by the hand and led her out into the dance floor with a rather childish grin. As they waltzed to the soft music, Haruhi realized just how similar Kyouya was to his brothers, but somehow, there was also a vast difference hidden behind their eyes. While Kyouya was naturally giving, his brothers lacked that certain warmth. Akito was a womanizer, and a very effective one at that (she observed the number of women who swooned at his small smirk as they danced) while Yusuke stood at the punch table, watching as his fiancée flitted from dance partner to dance partner, letting out low giggles from time to time.

She risked a peek in Kyouya's direction and found that even more beautiful, rich women surrounding him. Giving a delicate sigh, she concentrated on her steps and the music.

"Aren't you worried?" Akito spoke up. "That Kyouya is surrounded by those whose pedigree is worth more than everything you will ever own placed together?"

"No," Haruhi answered simply. She offered him a smile. "You'll understand when you find someone, Akito-san."

All of a sudden, a hand was placed at her elbow, keeping Akito from replying to her statement.

"May I cut in?"

Haruhi glanced up to find Kyouya smiling amiably at his second older brother. To the side, the large group of women were pouting and whispering.

"Of course," Akito released her waist and hand, bowing gracefully.

As Kyouya pulled her body into his, Haruhi glanced over his shoulder to find that Akito had approached those pouting women with a charming smile on his face and a sly smirk resting upon his lips.

_Thank you,_ she thanked him silently as the group's attention was captured by Akito.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi," Kyouya murmured into her hair, "for dragging you here."

"I don't mind," Haruhi whispered as she rested her forehead on his chest, closing her eyes to relish in his warmth. "Congratulations, Kyouya."

She could feel him smile down at her warmly as he said, "Thank you." And then there was a slight pause. "Haruhi…"

"Yes?" She gazed up at him in inquiry.

"Would you stay with me?" He spoke softly. Kyouya stopped dancing and placed a slightly trembling hand on her cheek. "Would you stay with me forever?"

Unable to contain herself, she allowed the welling tears to fall as she answered with her most beautiful smile, "Yes."

She wasn't quite sure what happened afterwards. There were different sounds surrounding her, attempting to break into her paradise, but she couldn't understand them. All she was aware of was a set of soft lips pressing against hers and nothing more.

--

Kyouya awoke in the morning, feeling slightly groggy.

It had been a few months since they had announced their engagement and he had managed to persuade Haruhi to move into the Ootori mansion with him before their set wedding date. Though she had firmly stated that they were not to make love before their wedding, she allowed him to sleep in the same bed as she did and he found it satisfying enough to last another month or so without any intimate contact with Haruhi.

His father had not yet approved of Haruhi, nor did he disapprove of her. Yoshio required meeting with Haruhi once every other week for dinner (since he was hardly home, Kyouya didn't have to worry too much about him) and each meeting went along smoothly. There was no doubt that Haruhi had managed to melt a little bit of the famous icy heart of the Ootori family.

A loud thump could be heard down at the entrance but Kyouya ignored it, glancing down at the beautiful woman he held in his arms. Even though she was dressed in only an over-sized T-shirt and her undergarments, he found her to be one of the most alluring creatures on this planet and couldn't resist but place a gentle kiss at her forehead. Haruhi stirred lightly but did not awaken.

He could see why everyone was so entranced by her. Her honest statements, her large, innocent, but perceptive brown eyes, and her voice—the voice that reached their hearts and helped them realize that there was more to life than money and riches. She possessed the voice that captured his interest and his frozen love.

"KYOUYA!" The door slammed open as Suou Tamaki charged in with an excited smile on his face. "GUESS WHAT? AKIKO IS COMING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL TODAY WITH OUR—,"

Tamaki was cut short as his violet eyes rested on their rather intimate position.

"What do you want, Tamaki?" Kyouya growled, feeling irritated that Tamaki had the nerve to barge into his room in the mornings when he clearly knew that he was not a morning person.

"I'm sorry to disturb you two," Tamaki muttered, covering his madly blushing face with a shaking hand. "I'll take my leave of you…"

In a flash, Tamaki disappeared, closing the door with a soft slam behind him.

At the sound of the slam (however soft he found it to be), Haruhi moaned lightly and opened her eyes sleepily.

"Kyouya," She murmured, smiling up at him with a tired smile. "Did something happen?"

"Go back to sleep," He pulled her into his body securely. "You had a difficult case yesterday."

"Mm," Haruhi nuzzled his chest contentedly. She yawned a bit sleepily and asked subconsciously, "Why do you love me, Kyouya?"

"Because you're perfect," he murmured in return, feeling sleep tugging at his eyelids, "sore tomo…kimi no koe."

--

**OWARI**

**Author's Note:** Yes, everyone. This is the end of Kimi no Koe. (This chapter sucked, didn't it? –sweatdrop) Of course, I can always write that two-shot (or maybe just a one-shot?) sequel of Kimi no Koe but that's all up to you readers and fans! Also, **an important note from me**:

There IS a sequel to this story called Touch of Serenity. You can easily find it in my profile—if you can't find it, please feel free to message me and I will send you the link.

Before I leave you all with regret and tears, I will say this: Thank you all for constantly reviewing and reading this story. I never really had much confidence in my writing, but I have improved thanks to all of you wonderful people and this story. Hopefully, I will return with better (and improved) fanfiction for all of you to enjoy. Thank you for reading Kimi no Koe. I love you all very much. –pocky for everyone-

- "Haru-chan!" The suffix -chan is used for those either younger than you, or someone you are affectionately close to.  
- "Fujioka-sama" The suffix -sama is used as either "master" or "king" (in this case "queen") by servants, or those of lower lineage/positions in society  
- "The Master" is what Kyouya's father is referred to at home. However, anywhere else, he is known as "Ootori-sama" and the sons are "Ootori-san"  
- "Fujioka-san" The suffix -san is used for those who are not close to you and is unisex.  
- "Sore tomo…kimi no koe" translates to "because of your voice."

Feedback is really appreciated. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Mean flames are retaliated with my evil dust kitties and their water furballs...so don't try them. You'll regret it. Really.

Thank you for reading! And good-bye for now!


End file.
